Hybrid "Alternator" replacement question

[Automate]

So all commercially produced hybrid and electric vehicles drive on alternating current!!!

Actually not. Tesla uses both 3 phase AC induction motors and brushless DC motors
https://www.tesla.com/blog/induction-versus-dc-brushless-motors

In fact, some Teslas have both.

Sponsored

 

[GPSMan]

Actually not. Tesla uses both 3 phase AC induction motors and brushless DC motors
https://www.tesla.com/blog/induction-versus-dc-brushless-motors

In fact, some Teslas have both.

Thanks for the article from 2007.

 

[Automate]

Thanks for the article from 2007.

You are welcome. It was written by Tesla.
If you want something from 2023 go here https://electrek.co/2023/03/01/tesla-is-going-back-to-ev-motors-with-no-rare-earth-elements/

 

[rivermaverick]

This is correct. The battery is a 220v battery. Usually between 210v and 230v.

There is a High DC to Low DC converter.
This charges the 12v battery.
There are also two inverters in the transmission. The wheels run on AC and you've been lied to: the "generator" is REALLY an alternator!

While not traditional the hybrid has TWO very large alternators.

Wheels turn going down a hill.
AC electricity is "generated".
Then converted (rectified?) into DC.
The DC charges the HV battery.

To send power to the wheels, DC voltage from the 220v battery is converted (inverted) to AC then the AC power powers the motor that spins the wheels.

Just like your 12 volt battery can invert 12 volt DC and make 120 VAC for you household sockets, the 220v battery can invert the power to 450 VAC to spin the wheels.

While I have put a meter on the battery and can see it is 220 volts, I don't know how measure the AC high voltage so I don't know what it actually is. But it is at least possi were the first ble to be 450 VAC.

Sounds confusing but with modern electronics this is all easily done in microseconds. The hybrid concept has been around for over 100 years but was not practical until high speed computers became available.

AC power is much easier to control than DC power, and it can be argued that AC motors are better than DC motors.

So all commercially produced hybrid and electric vehicles drive on alternating current!!!

Fascinating AND true!

SAE terminology is 'AC Generator' and the older machines are DC generators.
Chrysler were the first to use an 'AC generator' on a car and called it an 'Alternator' and the term is now used interchangeably with AC generator.
I had a boss that insisted we use SAE terminology!
I notice Mazda WSMs and wiring diagrams use the term 'Generator', not sure about other manufacturers.
I guess the devices in the hybrid transmission would be 'MGUs' motor generator units. A bit different to the Formula 1 MGUs that drive and are driven by the exhaust gas turbine (turbocharger).

 

[Michaelkov]

How high is the high voltage?

 

[OneAlienBoi]

I tend to be someone who worries about things long before I need to, but I like to be prepared. I know the Maverick Hybrid does not have a traditional belt driven alternator but rather an electric motor within the CVT that charges the 12v battery. My question is, if that "alternator" / battery charging electric motor goes bad and has to be replaced, does the entire CVT (transmission) unit have to be replaced. That would be a very expensive "alternator" replacement.

Don't worry about it, we'll all be dead before our maverick hybrids are.

 

[Suzukiridr14]

The motor controller is basically a three phase variable frequency drive controller (or 2 siamese'd together). So in, say, industrial applications a VFD would be fed AC mains voltage which it then rectifies into DC and then re-inverts at the frequency needed to the three phases for desired speed. In this case we can skip the initial rectifying step as we have DC piped in directly from the battery. I've seen some with solar setups doing similar for being able to more efficiently drive larger A/C units without needing to run it through an inverter and incur conversion losses.

WOW! Ford should hire you, I'm impressed.

 

[TheSEARCH]

I don't worry about the starter/alternator or the Ecvt at all or engine. If anything what seems like not so good is that heat exchanger in the exhaust system to be problematic. I saw that in the under carige video and was yikes that looks bad. Welded in and all. I see that failing after 3 year warranty for sure. Plus it looks like a one piece monstrosity to boot. Meaning big $$$

 

[Bradley]

Thanks for the reply, I got that impression from a video I saw that broke town the internal workings of the CVT. Just one point, there are two electric motors inside the CVT, the more powerful one helps drive the vehicle the other smaller one I think is dedicated to keeping 12v charged. I don't think it helps in the propulsion of the car, but I know very little about the inner workings and most definitely could be wrong I was hoping that the smaller motor could be replaced, but even then the CVT would have to be dropped to get to it.

Good to know that the charging system in the CVT is a well built quality component that is likely to last a very long time.

Sponsored