From the earliest days of motoring, cars have evolved dramatically. The very first car envisioned by Carl Benz bears little resemblance to the vehicles we drive today; since then, engineers have found ...

Modern automotive alternators have a voltage regulator built into them. Typical car alternators generate the field using a DC current through slip rings. The field current is much smaller than the ...

The charging system in a car is often the most confusing part of the whole electrical system, but its purpose is actually pretty easy to understand. There are three main components in a charging ...

Your car needs electricity. You don't have mice striking flint in your engine's combustion chambers, nor do you have kerosene lamps for headlights. You might be able to hire a string quartet to ...

An alternator is a generator that produces the electricity stored in a vehicle’s 12-volt battery and powers the starter motor for the engine and the various computers, lights, power windows and locks, ...

Editor's note: The modern alternator is a very sophisticated piece of equipment which has virtually replaced the generator because of its lighter weight, higher efficiency, longer life and lower ...