Work vehicle with constant output alternator assembly

A work vehicle, comprising:

• a chassis;
• an engine carried by the chassis and comprising an engine output shaft;
• a battery carried by the chassis;
• an alternator electrically coupled to the battery and comprising an alternator input, the alternator being configured to convert rotational motion of the alternator input into electrical current that is output to the battery;
• a variable transmission assembly comprising an input pulley coupled to the engine output shaft, an output pulley coupled to the input pulley and the alternator input, and at least one solenoid configured to act on at least one of the input pulley or the output pulley to adjust a gear ratio between the input pulley and the output pulley;
• a rotation speed sensor coupled with at least one of the output pulley or the alternator input and configured to output a first signal corresponding to a rotation speed of the alternator input;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the at least one solenoid and the rotational speed sensor, the controller being configured to:
• receive the output first signal;
• determine the rotation speed of the alternator input based on the received first signal;
• compare the rotation speed of the alternator input to a set rotation speed;
• and
• output an adjustment signal to the at least one solenoid if the rotation speed of the alternator input differs from the set rotation speed so the at least one solenoid adjusts the gear ratio such that the rotation speed of the alternator input is equal to the set rotation speed.

A method for maintaining electrical current output of an alternator of a work vehicle, the alternator comprising an alternator input that is coupled to an output pulley of a variable transmission assembly, the output pulley being coupled to an input pulley, the method being performed by a controller and comprising:

• receiving a first signal from a rotation speed sensor coupled to at least one of the output pulley or the alternator input, the first signal corresponding to a rotation speed of the alternator input;
• determining the rotation speed of the alternator input based on the received first signal;
• comparing the rotation speed of the alternator input to a set rotation speed;
• and
• outputting an adjustment signal to at least one solenoid if the rotation speed of the alternator input differs from the set rotation speed so the at least one solenoid adjusts a gear ratio between the input pulley and the output pulley such that the rotation speed of the alternator input is equal to the set rotation speed.