BMW Alternator

Your BMW needs a source of energy for it to run and that energy is being supplied by the fuel stored on the vehicle’s fuel tank. But aside from fuel, the vehicle also needs an electrical energy source for the essential electric components like the distributor, electronic fuel injector and the engine management computer to work. The battery is often the primary source of this energy. The battery, however, would only function well if it is properly charged. To keep the battery charged, your BMW is equipped with another electrical energy source—the BMW alternator.

An alternator is an electrical machine or generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current. Alternators have a wide area of applications, although they are more popularly used for vehicle electrical systems. The main function of the alternator in a vehicle is to charge the battery while the engine is running. As a secondary function, the alternator also serves as the primary power source for the various electrical and electronic components installed in the vehicle while it is running.

Your BMW alternator is composed primarily of four components: the stator, rotor, diode packs and voltage regulator. The rotor is a rotating electromagnet that turns within the stator, which is a stationary set of conducting copper wires wrapped around an iron core. The rotor/stator pair generates the electricity needed by the vehicle’s charging system in the form of alternating current, which in turn would pass through the diode packs to be converted into direct current. The last of the basic parts, which is the voltage regulator, is used to oversee the battery charging process, cutting off the alternator output when the battery is fully charged.

Now, if the battery of your vehicle is not charging properly, it may be the BMW alternator that is causing the problem. But before deciding to purchase a replacement BMW alternator, check first for the alternator belt condition for it may only be the problem. Also check for bad electrical connections between the alternator output and the battery terminals. If all have been checked and the problem really points to the alternator, then it should be the only time for you to purchase a new one.