Vehicle power generating system

Abstract

In a power generating system having an AC power generator, a quantity which is related to the state of power generation of the power generator and varies according to the supply of a leading phase current to the power generator, is detected. When the passage of the leading phase current through each armature winding is determined as necessary based on the detected status quantity, the leading phase current is supplied to each armature winding (an increase in the amount of supply of the leading phase current is included). If passage is determined as unnecessary, then the supply of the leading phase current to each armature winding is stopped (a decrease in the leading phase current is included). If so, then a change (improvement) in the state of power generation such as an increase in output or the like due to the above supply can be achieved by supplying the leading phase current thereto when its change is required. When the above change is unnecessary, the supply of the leading phase current thereto can be stopped to suppress a defective condition incident to the supply of the leading phase current thereto, particularly, the rate of change in output current, i.e., an increase in ripple. Owing to the above construction, the supply of the leading phase current to the power generator can be achieved by a simple circuit configuration and the state of power generation can be improved.