Alternator belt
What is a alternator belt?
Alternator belt, also known as a fan belt or serpentine belt, is a type of power transmission belt that is responsible for transferring the engine’s torque to various parts of the vehicle, such as the water pump, oil pump, dynamo, and air conditioning system. This belt has a special pulley or sheave that is connected to the crankshaft. By winding the belt around this pulley, the motion force of the crankshaft is transferred to it. Thus, when the engine starts and the crankshaft begins to rotate, it transfers the engine’s torque to the components along its path and stops when the engine stops.
This brief description somewhat highlights the importance of this belt. Because any problem with this belt will result in the cessation of all parts related to them. The dynamo belt can be one or two separate belts that rotate around the mentioned parts. It is called a serpentine belt when it is one. Because along its path, it winds around multiple sheaves and takes on a twisted appearance. The fan belt is usually attached to the frontmost part of longitudinal engines, close to the radiator and the crankshaft, and the dynamo belt is seen on the left side of the engine and the crankshaft part.
The Alternator belt or fan belt has the following responsibilities:
- Providing the necessary power for the dynamo in the vehicle’s electrical system
- Initiating the fan in the vehicle’s cooling system
- Providing the rotational force for the hydraulic pump in the steering system
- Supplying the torque needed by the water pump in the vehicle’s cooling system
- Providing the energy needed by the compressor in the vehicle’s air conditioning system.
The dynamo or alternator is the provider of energy needed by numerous components. However, this component receives its primary energy from the engine. The main duty of the dynamo belt, as its name suggests, is to establish a connection between the dynamo and the engine and to transfer the engine’s rotational force to the dynamo. In this way, the dynamo, which is a type of direct current generator, receives mechanical energy from the engine and, with the help of its special belt, converts it into the electrical energy needed by the battery. Therefore, it can be said that the health of the battery, its energy supply, and the vehicle’s electricity supply are also dependent on this belt and its correct operation through the dynamo. In this way, the supply of electricity to various parts of the vehicle is also somewhat dependent on the timing belt. With this definition, the duties of the timing belt can be stated as follows.
Of course, in the past, a special belt was used for each of these parts. But this method made repairs difficult and the placement of the belts problematic. Thus, the fan belt or dynamo belt replaced all of them. If two belts are used in this section, usually one is for spinning the fan, compressor, oil pump, and water pump, and the other is for activating the dynamo. In this way, the fan belt and dynamo belt can be two separate pieces or a single spiral belt.
The structure of a dynamo belt or fan belt
Whether used in a single body as a spiral belt or separately, a dynamo belt or fan belt is considered a type of power transmission belt. Power transmission belts are V-shaped. These belts are called V-BELT or sheave belts. The reason for this naming is the V-shaped cross-sectional shape of the belt, which has a trapezoidal form. This form causes the belt to sit better on its pulley and create a good tension. These belts are flat on one side and grooved on the other. The flat surface is also located inside the belt. The length of the fan belt is usually chosen according to the structure of the technical parts of the car. The fan belt or dynamo belt is made of thread, natural fibers, and plastic. In such a way that the fibers and threads are stretched next to each other and a layer of plastic covers and protects them.
In this article, we got acquainted with the dynamo belt (fan belt) and saw how important this part is in the overall health of the car and the function of other car parts. We hope that by reading this article, you have received answers to all your questions.
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