Can someone explain how voltage is regulated in a permanent magnet generator? I understand how AC current is rectified to DC but I am at a loss as to how voltage is controlled, or adjusted with varying loads.
The specific application is the generator as used on most outboard motors. AC voltage is induced in a stator and then converted to 12 volts DC. The voltage is somehow maintained at nominally 14.5 volts up to the point of maximum current output. If the magnets are creating maximum power at a given RPM, what happens to the excess power that is not needed by the load on the system?
The specific application is the generator as used on most outboard motors. AC voltage is induced in a stator and then converted to 12 volts DC. The voltage is somehow maintained at nominally 14.5 volts up to the point of maximum current output. If the magnets are creating maximum power at a given RPM, what happens to the excess power that is not needed by the load on the system?