Your Cadillac alternator is a key part of your car's electrical system, along with the battery and wiring. Your Cadillac alternator's function is to run the car's electrical system and recharge the battery, enabling the battery to start your car. The alternator is driven by belts in the engine, where it produces an alternating current, which is converted internally to 12 volts direct current by the diode bridge or rectifiers. The alternator is made up of the following parts: a rotor, stator, voltage regulator and two internal fans. Most alternators now use internal voltage regulators to maintain the proper system voltage, which ranges from 12.6-14.5 volts. The alternator has two terminals: the positive output terminal of the alternator, and the alternator housing, which is the alternator's negative (-) terminal. The regulator acts as the 'brains' of the car's charging system; it monitors both battery and stator voltages and adjusts the output of the alternator accordingly. The alternator is connected to the rest of the electrical system through four wires: the alternator output wire, which supplies current to the battery; the ignition input, which turns on the alternator/regulator assembly; a wire that is used by the regulator to monitor charging voltage at the battery and another wire that grounds the charge warning lamp. When one of these parts of the alternator begins to fail, it is recommended that you replace the Cadillac alternator as a unit, instead of trying to diagnose and replace each part as they fail.