How Does an Alternator Work?

An alternator works on the same basic principle as a generator, using Faraday’s principle of EMF. The only real difference between an alternator and a generator is how the transfer of the magnetic field is achieved.

A generator transfers magnetic energy from the stator to the rotor, the electricity is generated in the rotor. An alternator does the opposite, the magnetic field is created in the rotor and the energy is transferred to the stators. More than one stator can be used, creating phases. A single stator will generate single phase 120V AC power, a second stator produces 240V 2-phase AC power, and a third stator will generate 3-phase 360V AC power. This allows us to use different voltages, depending how we connect our conductors to the stator circuits.