Charging system failure cuts short a long X-Country

TheSmokingGnu wrote:

Alternators have to be supplied with a sufficient current from the
battery in order to generate the larger currents required by the
aircraft systems. This is fine as long as the alternator is functioning,
because it is generating enough current to recharge the battery (and
then some). Without that initial current, though, the alternator will
never work, no matter how hard you spin it (a generator, on the other
hand, would).

This may be exactly what happened. The workings of an alternator are
"magic." Since I did have a similar alternator experience where it
would not start once before...and the solution was for an alternator
shop to energize it by touching the "N" terminal I believe with
positive voltage, I did that as well. Either it should have been the
"F" or "E" terminal or I did it incorrectly.

I am changing out to an internally regulated alternator that is easily
obtainable. My current alternator is not either.

Ron Lee