Microelectronics and Alternators By Rich Herrington Most alternator rebuilders think, “Why do I need to understand micro- electronics? I am working on an alterna- tor, not some computer.’ Unfortunately, this is not a valid thought process with today’s alternators. Those of us who started out rebuild- ing Delco 10DN and 10SI, Ford 1G, and Chrysler round back alternators learned that we were working with simple DC electrical power devices. An alternator was an alternator. The differences were basically in packaging. Even when the imports started showing up, they were still pretty basic. As technology improved, we lost the mechanical regulators and had some “improvement” in diodes. This still didn’t create many problems. In the 1980s we saw digital regula- tors enter into the market. They had some new abilities and increased the monitoring capabilities of the alternator. These were the beginnings of true elec- tronics entering into the equation. During this time, the automobile manu- facturers began to realize that they could do things with the alternator’s capabili- ties other than maintaining the battery. We operated relays and other devices that would control things like electric fans, electric chokes, and so on. These did create a number of issues in the industry that, for the most part, have been addressed. Remember the Caravan 2.6L alterna- tor that kept coming back to you with the blown out diode trio? It took a long time for us to find the technical bulletin that let us know the problem with the fan relay. We still talk with people in our industry that do not know the differ- ences between the 408 and 411 series of Delco voltage regulators. How can I ever forget the “L” terminal differences in the Nippondenso regulators used in internal fan units? But, as I said, we have successfully made it through this phase. Now, as technology continues to “{mprove,” we are beginning to see true microelectronics being used in many different regulators. Ford 6Gs and Delphi ASVRs are good examples. Not only are they built using microelectron- ics, they also are communicating direct- ly with the vehicle computer. This com- munication can control a large number of different things in the vehicle. This allows for much better drivability and management of electrical and electronic vehicle components. Sounds great, huh? And just think, the wiring inside these chips can be one-fifth the diameter of a human hair! These voltage regulators that utilize these micro-electronic chips have proven to be almost totally foolproof in original assembly. Unfortunately, these do create another new challenge for us. First, cleaning these must be done with extreme care. Imagine what one small piece of foreign material could do inside the circuit. POOF! Testing these regulators requires new equipment of some sort. Separating the Delphi regulators can be a night- mare. Even though the ASVR was not used in production until 1999, the chip was used in replacement Delphi regula- tors that would fit units back to the “80s. Once you have done all this and are ready to test the final assembly, we run into our next challenge. Voltage spikes that are created during testing will cause failures of these chips. They are designed to operate inside a vehicle without these spikes. The OEM supplier of the ASVR regulators developed a harness to use when testing these regula- tors to protect them from “false biasing.” Using this will allow you to be sure that you do not significantly damage or blow up the regulator during testing. The last issue has to do with some- thing we cannot control, the installation. If the installer does not disconnect the battery he will almost always “false bias” the voltage regulator during instal- lation. It is imperative that the battery be disconnected before the regulator plug is removed and reinstalled. We all know that the battery is becoming harder to access, but it must be disconnected. As an industry we must continue to educate ourselves. There are many dif- ferent ways to do this. Industry organi- zations continue to provide good infor- mation and seminars. Attending these becomes more necessary every year because technology is changing more rapidly each year. Reading magazines and newspapers can also get informa- tion to you. A five-minute read of an article can save you big headaches. Joining one of the Internet groups avail- able and participating in online discus- sions is another good option. I am sure there are others, but the main point here is don’t stop learning. Don’t expect this knowledge to just show up in your brain. It will require that you spend the time and energy to learn if you are going to succeed in this industry. Rich Herrington is Sales and Technical Manager at Northwest Regulator Supply, Portland, OR.