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The current to supply the fields in the
> >alternator to create power so as to be selfexciting comes through the
itty
> >bitty idiot dash light.
> >
> James is quite right and this is a real catch. The initial rotor
excitation
> (magnetic field) is generated by the tiny current through the warning
light, if
> that bulb pops you can spin the alternator until hell freezes over and
nothing
> will come out of it.
>
> The light is a quite good health check of the alternator though since to
light
> it has to pass current into one rotor slip ring, through the rotor
winding, out
> of the other ring, and through the integral regulator electronics
including the
> high current field control transistor. If the bulb is good something is
very
> wrong with the alternator itself but hopefully only a worn and replaceable
field
> brush.
>
> Richard
> (Southampton UK)
Now I find this strange. The #2 alternator light has never worked in my
M1009 and it has kept my batteries fully charged for more than a couple year
now.
Bill George
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Feb 21 2000 - 18:15:06 PST