Hello all. I have been reading a book again, things cannot go well...
I have no idea if the words I use are correct nomenclature, so if it seems I'm over explaining my question, it's rooted in a known ignorance.
A car alternator has three phases positioned at 120 degrees to each other. The negative "sweep" are also obviously at 120 degrees but 180 degrees out of phase. This I understand.
In the graph of this, the peaks and troughs are regularly spaced along the time time axis. When rectified, the peaks are all positive and seperated by 60 degrees. This I understand.
My question is: Do the stator widings have to be configured at 120 degrees?
Without changing the physical position of the stator windings, it seems that they could be wired up so each peak, when graphed, can be at 0, 60, and 120 degrees, with thhe troughs at 180, 240, and 300 degrees.
This graph leaves regular gaps between the groups of peaks and troughs, but when the generated electricity is rectified, the peaks are - like the 120 degrees-phased layout - all seperated by 60 degrees.
Is there a reason one method is used and the other isn't?
Thank you all in advance for putting up with my trivial questions!