TOYOTA ALTERNATOR VOLTAGE

REGULATOR
Searching the internet once, I did not get quality information about how to test voltage
regulators in alternators and how their pins or terminals work.

WHAT IS ALTERNATOR VOLTAGE

REGULATOR?
It is a circuit responsible for maintaining the voltage level generated by the alternator
within the specified limits, which are between 13V and 14.5V. This is done by exerting
turning off/on the rotor field. In addition to this, it performs the system diagnostic
function in order to report poor system operation by turning on a lamp.

TERMINALS OF A TOYOTA ALTERNATOR

VOLTAGE REGULATOR
Here I bring you the case of Toyota.

Explaining the regulator pins:

E: Earth (negative)
Gives the negative power supply to the regulator circuit. It is important to
note that it is at the bottom of the ground input and does not have communication
with the heat sink.
P: Induction voltage also known as “stator” S terminal. (positive input signal)
This is the signal that comes from the alternator stator, once the alternator
begins to generate, this induced voltage tells the regulator that the generator is
already working and that it must start the monitoring process in addition to turning off
the BAT light on the dashboard.
F: Controlled field current output. (negative output signal)
 Controls on and off of the rotor field. This output is DC protected and it has
a ramp output modulator so that there are no induced voltage peaks resulting from
connecting and disconnecting the field current.
B: Battery Voltage. (Positive input signal)
Through this terminal the regulator measures the system voltage to control
the turning on and off of the rotor field.
L: Fault indicator lamp (dashboard battery light). (negative output signal)
Indicates that there is a problem with the regulation system or if the
alternator is not generating power.
S: This pin is there to give information to the voltage regulator at the battery
output. Depending on whether there is a cable break between the battery and
terminal B of the alternator. Many times not implemented.
IG: System power on. (Positive input signal)
Turn on the regulator and all its associated components. It is important to
add that the (L) LAMP signal is always active even if there is no IGN voltage, but in this
case, it will be a poor ignition.

HOW DOES THE TOYOTA REGULATOR

WORK?
This module is not really a regulator as such, that is, it does not work like a normal
voltage regulator which keeps the output voltage stable under any load consumption
regime, rather it is like a brake or a limiter of generated voltage.
To test the voltage regulator in this case of Toyota, just assemble the following circuit:
When energizing the circuit, with the Ign switches. And Genera. turned off we will have
a dim light on the BAT lamp.
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When we turn the Ign switch ON. It will turn on the BAT light strongly and turn on the
Carbon lamp very little. It turns on little because we are supposed to start the engine
and we need all the power from the battery to go to the starter motor.
At the moment of starting the engine, with the weak field current the stator begins to
generate energy by polarizing the P terminal of the regulator (or S of stator for other
brands), in this way the regulator turns off the battery lamp and turns on full current
the rotor field. The Carbon lamp will light brightly.
This remains stable only until the voltage measured by terminal B+ exceeds 14.5V, at
which point the regulator opens terminal F, thereby turning off the field. (Charcoal
Lamp turns off).
When the voltage measured by terminal B+ drops to less than 14.5V, terminal F
closes, connecting the alternator field.

BECAUSE THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR IS

NOT A COMMON VOLTAGE REGULATOR.
As I mentioned a few paragraphs ago, this device does not work as a common
regulator since the voltage is not stable in all consumption regimes of the system, but
rather floats between 13V and 14.5V, even for discharged batteries it can reach
without problems up to 12.3V.
If we want an operational test to check operation, we will set up the following one.
(This is the one I put together in my YouTube video)
In this case, in order to notice if there is field current regulation, a stable source is
placed in the previous circuit that does not depend on the regulated voltage. This so
that the luminosity is not affected when we lower or raise the voltage in B+.
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Below is the video of disassembling an alternator and testing the regulator with this
circuit:

VIDEO OF HOW I DID IT

TOYOTA VOLTAGE REGULATOR PROBLEMS
These are quite reliable elements nowadays, mostly because they bring protection
against short circuit currents and even temperature for the most modern ones.
The problems are mainly caused by dirt on the heat sink that deteriorates the internal
power transistor.