@A&C & @Victorian Have both , effectively, given a similar hint.
CHECK TIGHTNESS OF CONNECTIONS AIUI,the specified torques for the terminals are far lower than your normal Automotive spannerman would use...the figures do not account for burred threads, burning from previous arcing or even different friction if the tin-plating has worn off the threads.
They need tobe firm and tight, A loose connection can corrode or arc (burn)(as I suspect was the problemthat Vic. had)
Clean and shiny, bright metal, firm contact =low resistance, electricity can flow.
Alternator....Stator(fixed coils in casing) are normally connected to diodes, so arranged that 3phases combine to give a DC output......If a diode (one way valve)goes faulty, it allows electricity to "leak back" instead of going "forward"
thus, you lose output from a phase but the alternator will still produce a small output.
to produce electricity, you need magnetism. The spinning bit of the alternator is the Rotor....it is wound with a coil of wire,the two ends of which are connected to slip-rings Carbon brushes,mounted insulated carriers, carry current from the regulator,through the coil , via the sliprings. the coil thus magnetises the rotor, which,when turning, makes the stator produce electricity.
Sometimes the regulator is built into the Alty. (usually solid state)
so you'll have a main output terminal and a smaller terminal for the warning light. An external regulator will have a "field" wireto the alty the warning lamp may go straight to the Reg. and not to the Alty...so, still 2 terminals ,but different functions for the smaller ones.....yes,it can beconfusing, you really have to study the circuit,understand how it works and then you can test and diagnose accurately.
There are a lot of "mechanics" out there who replace parts willy-nilly until they hit lucky and eliminate the fault.
Why should they give a damn? it's your wallet that's emptying and theirs that's filling! they don't feel the pain and if the customer isn't clued-up, =well, ignorance is bliss!
here endeth the lesson
