“A. C. generator” means “Alternating Current generator”. That is, an A.C. generator produces alternating current, which alternates (changes) in polarity continuously. We will now describe the construction an working of the A. C. generator or A.C. dynamo.

Construction of an A. C. generator

A simple A.C. generator consists of a rectangular coil ABCD that can be rotated rapidly between the poles N and S of a strong horseshoe type magnet M. The coil is made of a large number of turns of insulated copper wire. The ends A and D of the rectangular coil are connected to two circular pieces of copper metal called slip rings R₁ and R₂. As the slip rings R₁ and R₂ rotate with the coil, the two pieces of carbon called brushes, B₁ and B₂, keep contact with them. So, the current produced in the rotating coil can be tapped out through slip rings into the carbon brushes. From the carbon brushes B₁ and B₂ we take the current into various electrical appliances like radio, T. V., electric iron, bulbs, etc. But in this figure, we have shown only a galvanometer G connected the two carbon brushes.

Working of an A. C. generator

Suppose that the generator coil ABCD is initially in the horizontal position. Again suppose that he coil ABCD is being rotated in the anticlockwise direction between the poles N and S of a horseshoe type magnet.

(i) As the coil rotates in the anticlockwise direction, the side AB of the coil moves down cutting the magnetic lines of force near the N-pole of the magnet, and side CD moves up, cutting the lines of force near the S-pole of the magnet. Due to this, induced current is produced in the sides AB and DC of the coil. On applying Fleming’s right hand rule to the side AB and DC of the coil, we find that the currents are in the direction B to A and D to C respectively. Thus, the induced currents in the two sides of the coil are in the same direction, and we get an effective induced current in the direction BADC.

(ii) After half revolution, the sides AB and DC of the coil will interchange their positions. The side AB will come on the right hand side and DC will come on the left side. So, after half a revolution, side AB starts moving up and side DC starts coming down. As a result of this, the direction of induced current in each side of the coil is reversed after half a revolution. Since the direction of induced current in the coil is reversed after half revolution so the polarity (positive and negative) of the two ends of the coil also changes after half revolution. The end of coil which was positive in the first half of rotation becomes negative in the second in the second half. And the end which was negative in the first half revolution becomes positive in the second half of revolution. Thus, in 1 revolution of the coil, the current changes its direction 2 times.

The alternating current (A.C.) produced in India has a frequency of 50 Hz. That is, the coil is rotated at the rate of 50 revolutions per second. Since in 1 revolution of coil, the current changes its direction 2 times, so in 50 revolutions of coil, the current changes its direction 2 × 50 = 100 times. Thus, the A. C. supply in India changes its direction 100 times in 1 second. Another way of saying this is that the alternating current produced in India changes its direction every 1/100 second. That is, each terminal of the coil is positive (+) for 1/100 of a second and negative (-) for the next 1/100 of a second. This process is repeated again and again with the result that there is actually no positive and negative in an A. C. generator. We will now describe why the direction of induced current in the coil of an A. C. generator changes after every half revolution of the coil.

After every half revolution, each side of the generator coil starts moving in the opposite direction in the magnetic field. The side of the coil which was initially moving downwards in a magnetic field, after half revolution, it starts moving in opposite direction – upwards. Similarly the side of coil which was initially moving upwards, after half revolution, it starts moving downwards. Due to the change in the direction of motion of the two sides of the coil in the magnetic field after every half revolution, the direction of current produced in them also changes after every half revolution.