Patent ID: 7126313

Claim:
A method of controlling an alternator, the alternator having a permanent magnetic rotor, a stator having at least one core portion extending between a plurality of radial teeth, a first winding wound around the at least one core portion and a second winding adjacent a portion of the first winding, the first and second windings electrically isolated from one another, the method comprising the steps of: rotating the rotor to induce primary current in the first winding and a first magnetic circuit around the rotor, a first stator portion and the first winding, the primary current thereby inducing a secondary current in the second winding and a second magnetic circuit around said portion of the first winding, a second stator portion and the second winding, said portion of the first winding being remote from the first magnetic circuit; and controlling the current flow in the second winding to thereby limit the maximum current in the first winding.