To illustrate the energy that the alternator takes from the engine (it brakes it), we can cite the alternator belts which "slip" when they relax, with wear. This usually happens in the morning in winter when starting with the lights on (low battery + high power consumption). If we turn off the codes, the belt stops slipping because the energy demand is less, the alternator brakes the engine less, more slippage (and its horrifying noise).
Hello young generation! who did not conceive the dynamos, who had the big defect of charging only at a certain speed (2000 rpm) The last dynamo had smaller pulleys, but at high speed the collector and the frame (the hoop) did not support not good centrifugal force,
when the alternator arrived in the 60 years it was a big improvement we could load the battery, engine has 1000 RPM. The rotors being of simple construction a steel coil and multipole 14 poles so it could better withstand the centrifugal force, he put small pulleys, (too small for the belt) that explains why after a start the current demand being important this slips, and this also explains why the ball bearing 6203 (at least one thing standard in all alternators) does not resist, most tend to tend a little too much this belt ..
For repairing alternators and tested on a bench with an electric motor it takes a 2 hp engine to train an alternator when it is asked for its full capacity,
the generator in full charge needs a large wind, it heats a lot and is weak point it is the diodes then the stator spinning is too small and the magnetic circuit in rolled sheet, the first alternator Delco Remy gave 32 amperes then 60 amperes, 80 amperes almost with the same formats except the size of the queue stator, then it is mounted at 100 and now 120 amperes on many American cars ..
Now you know that an alternator or a starter is a pedestrian machine that is designed economically to build, and it has a poor performance, if we compare the engines and commercial electric alternator it is awful, so use this equipment to produce economically current, it's not very logical,
As for the engine brake and recovery, the few short breaks in driving in the city is a small% of time spend on a highway, there are some exceptions, those who live in the mountains and down long schools.
the brutal accelerations the brakes, decellerations are mainly due to a mentality of conduct, certain think that they are skilled driver if the seat sticks them in the back all the time.
The cities in North America, we often found at each street corner a STOP (stop) It is to slow the speed but it consumes more fuel, what he forgets to say is that it gives off a large amount of brake pads dust, I know he tells us it's no longer asbestos, but I'm not sure that what has in this material is good for the lungs! (In any case it is not what is written on the wafer box)
Andre