Posted by Sherman in Idaho [76.121.57.131] on Monday, May 26, 2014 at 10:01:28 :
In Reply to: Alternator upgrade? posted by CO Gary [64.234.252.216] on Sunday, May 25, 2014 at 18:53:51 :
These days the easiest way to add an AC outlet to a vehicle is just hard-wire an inverter into the system. But another option I remember is the high-voltage alternator off of a 1970s Caddy or Lincoln (I can't remember which). For a few years they had an electrically-heated windshield driven by its own separate alternator that put out 120VAC more or less. It was similar to the rear window defrosters, but instead of conductive stripes, the whole windshield was covered with a very thin layer of gold.
Every automotive alternator generates AC internally, but the diodes inside it turn it into DC before you ever see it. If you tapped the stator windings upstream of the diodes, you'd have 3 phase AC, but it's not much use because the voltage is too low and the frequency varies with engine speed.