how is ac current generated?

Ok, so I was under the impression that brushless motors were AC motors (and therefore conducted AC current), until recent internet searches proved me wrong. I am curious how AC current is conducted, is it conducted using brushless motors? Or is it a different type of motor that will generate such electricity?

Comments

[lemonie]

if you have something that rotates 360 degrees, it ends up back where it started. the geometry produces a sine wave. DC generators have a design that switches during rotation, or otherwise they generate AC then convert it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_generator

L

[A-Nony-Mus]

so what you are saying is that any motor can be used to generate AC current?

[Re-design]

Not just any motor but some of them can. Particularly motors that have permanent magnets.

But almost all dc motors will only generate dc because of the way they are built.

If you rotate a coil round and round past a magnet, or a magnet round and round a coil, you will generate ac.

A stepper motor will generate its own brand of a/c because it does not have brushes and a commutator.

Google "dc motor tutorial" and "ac motor tutorial" for a better explanation,

[A-Nony-Mus]

would a dc motor generate ac current if it were hooked up to a transformer

[steveastrouk]

No.

[lemonie]

yes, excepting that you have a DC motor. L

[A-Nony-Mus]

Thanks-all of you guys, you all answered my question.

[Re-design]

Then pick L's answer as the best since his was the only answer and really was complete. We were just hanging onto his coat tails.