In a VAZ 2101 car, the generator is one of the power sources. The second is the battery, but it only participates in starting the engine, the rest of the time it is recharged from the generator. Thanks to this symbiosis, it is possible to power consumers even when the engine is stopped. You can make a comparison with motorcycles of the type "Minsk", produced in Soviet times.
They did not have a battery, which made the vehicle a little cheaper, but the lighting devices worked only with the engine running. But this is a motorcycle. On a car, such a scheme is inconvenient, since the engine must be started with a “crooked” starter or from a tugboat. And this causes quite severe difficulties.
The main components of the generator
Structurally, it consists of the following basic elements:
- The rotor is a moving part, rotates from the crankshaft of the engine. Has a field winding.
- The stator is a fixed part of the generator, also has a winding.
- Front and rear covers, inside of which bearings are mounted. They have eyes for attaching to the engine. In the back cover there is a capacitor necessary for cutting off the alternating current component.
- Semiconductor bridge - called a “horseshoe” for similarities. Three pairs of semiconductor power diodes are mounted on a horseshoe-shaped basis.
- The pulley on which the belt of the VAZ-2101 generator is put on. V-belt (multi-ribbed is used on modern cars).
- The voltage regulator in a VAZ-2101 car is installed in the engine compartment, far from the generator. But still it must be considered part of the design.
- The brushes are mounted inside the generator and transmit the supply voltage to the field winding (on the rotor).
Generator winding
There are two of them - rotor (excitation) and stator (power). The principle of operation of the installation is that the generation of current in the power winding is possible only if the following two conditions are met:
- There is a constant magnetic field.
- This field rotates relative to the power winding.
Only if they are respected will the generator work. By applying voltage to the rotor winding, we obtain a magnetic field. Since the rotor rotates from the crankshaft, the second condition is fulfilled. But you still need to pay attention to what the connection diagram of the VAZ-2101 generator is. It is connected to the battery in parallel for charging.
The principle of operation of the generator
At the initial moment (when starting the engine), the voltage in the on-board network is equal to that which is available in the battery (about 12 V). And at idle, it will be maintained at approximately this level. But with an increase in the rotor speed, a voltage surge of up to 30 V will occur. Reason: A higher voltage is applied to the field winding due to an increase in the rotor speed (the speed of the magnetic field increases). And this is fraught with damage to the car wiring and failure of consumers.
Voltage regulator brushes
It is necessary that the voltage remains constant at the generator output, and a simple principle is used for this. If we make the supply voltage of the rotor winding constant, then we can avoid changing the magnitude of the magnetic field. On the VAZ-2101, the generator should function under a load of 13-14 V. Even two relay-regulators of the same design can hold a different voltage value.
Types of Regulators:
- Mechanical - based on the electromechanical relay and resistance to reduce voltage.
- Semiconductor - the basis is a small circuit of low power transistors or one power switch.
- Mixed - the design has both a transistor circuit and an electromagnetic relay.
Brushes - this is exactly the element with which the connection diagram of the VAZ-2101 generator is implemented. Thanks to them, voltage is applied to the contact rings of the moving rotor.
How to remove a generator
For dismantling you will need the following tools:
- Spanners 10, 13 and 17.
- Mounting paddle.
- Penetrating grease type WD-40.
Initially disconnect the battery and disconnect the wires from the generator. It is advisable to carry out all work with a slightly raised front of the car or on a viewing hole, overpass. Before removing the generator, loosen the drive belt. To do this, completely unscrew the 17-nut wrench from the upper stud of the housing to the engine block. No problems should arise with her.
The generator housing must be moved to the block, then remove the belt. It will be problematic to loosen the lower mounting bolt. It is close to the ground, dust, dirt, water often gets on it. Therefore, pre-treat the threaded connection with penetrating grease.
Generator Installation
Installation is carried out in the reverse order. If you need to replace the generator with a more powerful one, then you can install an analogue with the model of VAZ-2107 or 2109. They have more power and are able to provide stable charging of the battery. The difference from the “native” VAZ-2101 is that the voltage regulator is combined with a brush assembly.
The main thing is that there is no distortion, otherwise the belt will break, wear out quickly, the load on the rotor will increase several times. For normal operation, it is necessary that this element has a certain tension. It is regulated by changing the position of the housing relative to the engine. Fixing is made by a nut in the upper part of the generator.
Troubleshooting
The following mechanical and electrical failures can occur in the generator:
- Bearing wear is diagnosed by a characteristic whistle or rattle from the side of the device. The grease inside the bearings disappears over time, which increases friction.
- The brushes of the VAZ-2101 generator must be replaced in a timely manner to ensure the normal operation of the car. If they wear out, then on the dashboard the control lamp with the image of the storage battery lights up.
- An insufficient or excessive battery charge is a clear sign of failure of the voltage regulator. Testing can be done with a conventional multimeter. Start the engine, turn on the low beam. Idling should be at about 800 rpm. It is necessary that the voltage at the battery terminals be ~ 13.2 V.
- Blinking light, pulsation is a sign of failure of one or two semiconductor diodes in the rectifier assembly. On the VAZ-2101, the generator is built according to the classical scheme - it generates three phases, then with the help of a rectifier it converts to direct current.
- In the event that the generator does not charge, and the rectifier and voltage regulator are serviceable, we can talk about the destruction of one of the windings. In this case, either the generator is replaced or a new rotor or stator is installed (depending on which of the windings is destroyed). Diagnostics is performed using a tester.
findings
Despite the apparent simplicity, the generator in the VAZ-2101 car is capable of delivering a lot of trouble to the owner. And if during the trip you noticed that the lamp on the dashboard lit up, then it is necessary to take actions to eliminate the breakdowns as soon as possible. It also happens that the wire simply oxidizes, the contact disappears, but this must be detected at an early stage, otherwise with a dead battery it will not work far to leave.