Re: Alternators

[John Hofstetter <hofs@domain.elided>]

>When the alternator rpm is then suddenly increased, the alternator output
>just as quickly shoots rapidly upward.  The voltage regulator, which was
>holding the self-excitation circuit wide open, has to suddenly catch up and
>begin switching the current on an off properly.  It's the apparent lag in
>the regulator's response time to the rapid output change that causes the
>ammeter needle to swing quickly to charge and then be "caught" and brought
>back to a controlled limit.
>
>Pretty cool huh?
>
>John L.

Indeed, did I tell you that I ordered the book? 
Great temptation to drop another couple of hundred bucks and get a bunch 
of the other books that looked really interesting. 

Found your paint post interesting, especially the inability to match 
colors. Sounds like the new gun is really the way to go, at least for us 
part-time painters. 

Do you realize that in spite of popular perception, understanding how 
something works is often much more complicated than when it seemed it 
could be when you didn't understand it?
Prime example: the voltage regulator - alternator interplay. 

John H.