A control apparatus for a vehicular alternator can improve its reliability
and reduce its cost by attenuating a field current of a rotor coil with a
simple circuit. The apparatus includes an armature coil, a rectifier
circuit, a rotor coil and a voltage control circuit. The rectifier
circuit has an AC input terminal, a positive and a negative output
terminal. The voltage control circuit controls a generation voltage to be
substantially constant by interrupting a field current when a generation
voltage exceeds a first predetermined voltage, while passing the field
current when the generation voltage is equal to or lower than the first
predetermined voltage. A circulation circuit comprising a diode and a
current attenuation element serves to circulate the field current upon
interruption thereof. A short-circuiting circuit short-circuits the
current attenuation element. A short-circuit control circuit opens the
short-circuiting circuit when the generation voltage exceeds a second
predetermined voltage.