What is Charging Alternator And Its Function
The charging alternator is simply a three phase ac synchronous generator with solid state, self-contained, rectifiers and regulators. The charging alternator is driven by the diesel engine via a belt and generators alternating current power. The ac power is rectified to a Direct Current power. The output of the charging alternator is connected to the starting batteries.
It should be noticed that this charger only charges the battery when the engine is running. Therefore if the genset is meant to be for standby duty then a separate electrical battery charger needs to be used.
Because the charging alternator regulator is contained within the alternator itself, depending on the frame for its ground return. This can result in incorrect voltage sensing by t he regulator and a separate ground return wire should be used from the battery to the alternator.
Now, let me introduce the basic information about static battery charger to you. Actually, the static battery charger is also called electrical or electronic charger. This charger converts the ac electrical power into DC power using different technologies depending on the manufacturer of the static charger.
Typically, the static battery charger consists of the following points:
1. Electrical module to step down the AC voltage to a level which can be easily handled by the nest stage.
2. Rectification of the AC voltage to a DC voltage using full wave rectifier circuits or other technologies.
3. Control the output to maintain the DC voltage level within the limits by removing the ripples and leveling the DC output.
4. Optional metering instruments such as DC ammeter and DC voltmeter.
5. Optional low and or high DC voltage alarm relays with volt-free contacts.
6. Optional Current failure alarm relay with volt-free contacts.
7. Optional ground fault sensor with volt-free contacts.
8. Optional loss of input AC power relay with volt-free contacts.
Usually, static battery chargers have two charging states: one is Float Charge (or called trickle charge), the other is Boost Charge (or called equalize charge )