index hardware [ alternator

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AC Dodd is a mechanical engineer and A-series

engine guru. With an engineering background

01
in the defence industry, his ‘it must work first
02
Believe it or not, it is very With the multimeter
time, every time’ approach has earned him a simple to test your vehicle’s configured to read DC
reputation for building engines and gearboxes charging system. All you need is a volts, measure the terminal
that really deliver the goods. simple digital multimeter such as voltage of the battery to be used
the budget Draper unit shown here. for the test. The open circuit
There are only a few simple tests voltage (ie no load on the battery)
needed to determine if an alternator needs to be at least 12.5 volts
is serviceable or not. First though, we for the test to continue. If it’s low,
Words and photos: AC Dodd need to carry out a few checks: check that all loads are off. If it is
1. Check the fan belt is not worn; does still low, recharge the battery or

Rebuild your
it fill the v-groove of the alternator replace with a known good unit.
pulley? The thinner it gets, the lower it With the ignition switched on,
will run in the pulley and the less grip check that the ignition no-charge
there will be to drive the unit. Bottom light is on (red dash lamp). If

Lucas alternator:
line is, if you are not sure, fit a new it does not come on this could
belt to ensure the maximum grip. indicate a fault in the vehicle
2. Ensure that the fan belt is correctly wiring, the alternator or even a
tightened. (i.e. 1/2-inch/12mm max. blown warning lamp bulb.

test procedures
movement of the belt along its
longest length)
3. Ensure that a good, healthy, fully-
03 Locate the multiplug connector on the rear of the alternator. Remove the plug
from the rear of alternator. There should be a clip that holds the plug in place.

T
charged battery is fitted. Failure to do
this will ensure that the test results This will need to be removed first (the plug wiring is not shown in this image).
are inconclusive.
he purpose of this article is
to supplement the alternator
rebuild article published in 05 No load test - switch off ALL
electrical loads for this test.
With the plug reconnected, but the plug
06 Load test, switch on
headlights, heated rear
screen if fitted, heater, and fog
cover removed, measure the voltage lamp if fitted. Use the same
MiniWorld June 2010 issue. at the larger terminals with the engine procedure as in the no load
running. It is helpful to have an assistant test except this time the voltage
References were made in the article to run the engine for this test. Run the range is 13.9 to 14.1 volts at the
engine at 3000rpm for 20 seconds alternator, and you should be
tests that needed to be performed on and check the voltage produced at the getting about 13.7 volts at the
alternator. Again, connect the black test battery. If you have less than
certain parts of the alternator. Here you lead to a good earth and use the red to
connect to one of the larger terminals.
13.6 volts at the battery, this
indicates excess resistance in the
I would advise making the connections charging circuit and this needs to
will find these simple test procedures and before you start the engine, as having be investigated. This needs to be

others that can be used to determine the 04 Using your multimeter, again configured to read DC volts, connect the black
lead to a good earth and test each terminal in turn with the test probe.
You should see battery volts on each of the larger connections. You may only have
your hands in close proximity to the
ignition HT cables is very dangerous,
especially if you have a heart condition!
rectified and the test run again to
see the outcome. If the voltages
measured at the alternator during
serviceability of a unit and its components. one large terminal connected to the wiring loom, in this case you should only have Use a small cable with a small these tests are outside those
power on the one large terminal instead of both. You should only have voltage on crocodile clip at each end to extend the stated then we need to strip and
You will also find the information on how the smaller terminal when the ignition is switched on. If you do not get the results connection for the test. You should have
a maximum of 14.45 volts (consider 14.2
repair/overhaul the alternator.
shown here then you will very likely have a wiring fault which will need further
volts to be a minimum). Repeat this test
to identify your unit. investigation. The smaller terminal is the earth line for the warning light bulb.
Connect this to earth with the ignition switched on to check the circuit. It should but this time measure the voltage at the
illuminate if the circuit checks out. WARNING: Do not connect the large terminals to battery terminals. The figures should be
So let’s start with the most important earth as each is connected directly to the battery and a fire is the likely result! very close if not the same.

question - does it actually need a rebuild?

08 Here I have shown the external visible difference between the wide and
narrow stator ACRs.The narrow stator ACRs are the 28-amp 15ACR and
the larger 34-amp 16ACR as fitted to many a standard pre-’82/post ‘73-ish Minis.
To further determine exactly which output you have, read on.

07 With the unit removed from the car, the process of identifying and stripdown
can begin. This particular unit is a Lucas 17 ACR. How did we know? This unit
has a wide stator. Wide stator ACRs were either 36-amp 17 ACRs or the larger 43-amp
18ACR.

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 index hardware [ alternator
workshoprebuild ] expert advice dyno logbook

09 For the next

steps we need
to use a 12-volt power
10 The Stator test: Here we are going to
check the continuity of the windings
and check for any short circuits. Set up the
supply and a 4-watt circuit as shown above. Connect one side of the
bulb. Here is the simple test bulb to the positive of the battery charger.
test lamp I made to Connect the other (negative) charger lead as
perform the tests for shown to one of the stator windings. With the
this article. For a power remaining wire from the test lamp (red arrow),
supply you can use touch it to the other two winding take-offs
a simple basic (non (yellow arrows). If there is continuity the bulb
automated) car battery will light as shown. Finally, check the insulation.
charger. Move this wire to the outer of the stator (green
arrow), touch this to a clean area. The bulb
should not be on. If the bulb illuminates now it
would indicate a short in the windings through
to earth, which would mean this stator is
defective and it would need to be replaced. A
better test can be performed using a 110-volt
AC supply and a suitable bulb. However, for
the DIY’er this is dangerous. Using such high
voltages without a safety interlocked test rig is
liable to end in you being electrocuted! Stick to
the safe low voltage set-up unless you have
11 While we are looking at stators, here is the narrow band
stator with red windings. This indicates that this stator is
for the 16ACR 34-amp unit. The 15ACR stator would have orange/
12 ... Whereas the larger stator in our unit, with orange windings, indicates it is
a 17ACR 36-amp unit. A wide stator and red windings would indicate it is the
18ACR 43-amp unit.
access to the proper test equipment. gold coloured windings...

13 Rotor Test: The rotor

winding is tested by
passing a current through
15 Rectifier Test: Test No. 1. In this
alternator I am using a new unit.
However, to know how to test, read on.
it. The field winding should There are nine diodes to check. Here I
have around 3 to 4 ohms of am starting with the main output diodes
electrical resistance. By applying on the positive output of the rectifier.
a 9- to 12-volt supply (from a Connect your test lamp as before, then
battery charger) across the rotor connect to the rectifier as shown. Attach
winding we should get a current the remaining wire from the bulb to
of 3 to 4 amps using ohms law. either of the larger spade terminals
(V=IR, where V is the voltage, (black arrow). Connect the other charger
I is the current in Amps and R lead to each of the rectifier stator
is the resistance in Ohms). If connections in turn (yellow arrows).
you get a similar current at a These stator connections are used in all
full 12 volts, this is a good sign these rectifier checks. The test is simple
that the rotor winding is intact. - you are checking that current flows in
The other thing you will notice one direction only, since that is what a
while you do this test is that the diode does. Swap over the connections
rotor will become magnetic and and test at the same points. If the bulb
it will want to stick to ferrous
14 A final test is to check the insulation in the same way we lights on all three points in one direction
17 Test No.3. The final rectifier test is to

16
objects - just like the vice in this tested the stator. Connect the 12-volt supply through the bulb and not at all in the other direction, all Test No.2. The same as before, check the field output diodes. These
example. If no current flows the as before and test to see if current can flow from the rotor winding to is well. If it does not illuminate at all, the however to test the negative are the smallest diodes in the rectifier. Again,
coil cannot energise and induce the frame or shaft. If you make the connection and the bulb lights, diodes are dead, as is, if it illuminates in side of the main output diodes, the the same test as the other two, but this time
the magnetic field, i.e. the rotor the rotor is dead. both directions. connections are made at the stud as the connection is made to the smaller of the
is dead. shown by the black arrow. Test as before. spade terminals.

19 The regulator shown is a three-

wire model. With the power supply
switched on and turned to the lowest setting,
20 Final circuit check: With your Digital Multimeter set to the diode test facility, connect
one lead (it does not matter which one) to the rectifier earth nut or the main body
of the alternator, and the other to the small rectifier terminal, as shown. You should get a
connect the wires as shown. The red and reading. Reverse the connections. You should also get a reading, although different. This
black arrows designate the positive and indicates that there is a circuit present through the regulator and rotor/brushes. This unit
negative wires from the power supply. Connect should work when fitted. Job done!
the test lamp as indicated by the yellow
arrows. You may also want to connect your
digital multimeter. Use this to read the output
voltage from the power supply if your unit
does not have an accurate one fitted. Turn
the voltage up to 14 volts. The lamp should
illuminate dimly at first, then get brighter as
the voltage rises. If all is well, continue to

18 Regulator test: For this part only we need up the voltage slowly until around 14.5 volts,
a bit more kit. Don’t worry if this looks like when the bulb should extinguish. If it does,
something from a science-fiction film - this is my this indicates the regulator is functioning
under bench mounted variable power supply, actually correctly. If the bulb is still on at 15 volts and
three in one unit, but all you need is a basic bench higher, the regulator is faulty. Also, if the bulb
power supply that has a variable DC voltage output does not illuminate at all, the regulator is also
- 0 to 20 volts and up to 1 amp is all that is required. faulty and a replacement is the only option. If
This is the sort of thing that can be bought cheaply
off the internet, but it needs to be a smoothed output
you have a more common two-wire regulator,
use the same wire colours/positions as above
when connecting up, omitting the third wire.
24 Wash, dry thoroughly and
then go over with a tak rag to
remove dust.
or you will ruin the regulator during this test.

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