The alternator is a generator whose purpose is to distribute electricity to the car and recharge the battery. Outside of some hybrid models, all vehicles with a standard internal combustion engine will have an alternator. About the size of a coconut, the alternator is generally mounted to the front of the engine and has a belt running around it.

 The components of an alternator are geared toward providing the right type and right amount of power to the vehicle. Your car’s charging system contains many parts, but these are the main components and their functions:

Rotor and stator

The rotor and stator are the electricity-producing components of an alternator.[3][4][5] The rotor, a cylindrical piece surrounded in magnets, spins inside of the stator, which holds a fixed set of conductive copper wiring. The movement of the magnets over the wiring is what ultimately creates electricity.

Voltage regulator

The voltage regulator oversees the power the alternator makes. It monitors the level of voltage that is output to the battery and delivers power to the rest of the vehicle.

 Diode rectifier

The diode rectifier converts the voltage from the alternator into a form that can be used by the battery to recharge.

 Cooling fan

Alternators give off a lot of heat and need to be cooled to operate efficiently. While they’re built with vents and aluminum casing to better release heat, they’re also equipped with rotating fans for added cooling. New alternator models have internal cooling fans, whereas older versions tend to have external fan blades.

What does an alternator do?

As we know, the alternator provides your car with the bulk of its electricity and helps recharge the battery. But to do all of that, the alternator must first turn mechanical energy into electricity.