What is a Self-Exciting Alternator?

It is an alternator that uses a special voltage regulator that doesn't need an ignition wire to activate it.  This type alternator only requires a battery wire hooked to it. The voltage regulator contains circuitry that uses the residual magnetism in the alternator's fields to determine when to turn the alternator on. The regulator does this by sensing the RPM the alternator is turning, when it gets to a certain RPM the voltage regulator "turns on". Typically you start the vehicle, rev the motor slightly then the alternator starts charging. This type of alternator is commonly used on custom cars & trucks, tractors and other non standard applications when wiring is a factor. In choosing this type of alternator you must consider, do you want  to rev your motor slightly to get the alternator to turn on? Also when using the self-exciting alternator on tractors or other slow turning motors, does the engine have enough RPM's to start the alternator charging? This can be overcome by using a smaller pulley or by adding an ignition wire. 

For agricultural, industrial, street rod and off-road use.