Starting and Charging System
By: ENGR. ADORNADO C. VERGARA, Ph.D.
The Starting System
The "starting system", the heart of the electrical system in your
car, begins with the Battery. The key is inserted into the Ignition Switch
and then turned to the start position. A small amount of current then
passes through the Neutral Safety Switch to a Starter Relay or Starter
Selenoid which allows high current to flow through the Battery Cables to
the Starter Motor. The starter motor then cranks the engine so that the
piston, moving downward, can create a suction that will draw a Fuel/Air
mixture into the cylinder, where a spark created by the Ignition System
will ignite this mixture. If the Compression in the engine is high enough
and all this happens at the right Time, the engine will start.
The automotive battery, also known as a lead-acid storage battery, is an
electrochemical device that produces voltage and delivers current.
The ignition switch allows the driver to distribute electrical current to where it is
needed.
Neutral Safety Switch opens (denies current to) the starter circuit when
the transmission is in any gear but Neutral or Park on automatic transmissions.
This switch is normally connected to the transmission linkage or directly on the
transmission.
A starter relay is a device that allows a small amount of electrical current
to control a large amount of current. An automobile starter uses a large amount
of current (250+ amps) to start an engine. If we were to allow that much current
to go through the ignition switch, we would not only need a very large switch,
but all the wires would have to be the size of battery cables (not very practical).
A starter relay is installed in series between the battery and the starter.
Battery cables are large diameter, multistranded wire which carry the
high current (250+ amps) necessary to operate the starter motor. Some have
a smaller wire soldered to the terminal which is used to either operate a
smaller device or to provide an additional ground. When the smaller cable
burns, this indicates a high resistance in the heavy cable. Care must be taken
to keep the battery cable ends (terminals) clean and tight. Battery cables can
be replaced with ones that are slightly larger but never smaller.
The starter motor is a powerful electric motor, with a small gear
(pinion) attached to the end. When activated, the gear is meshed with a
larger gear (ring), which is attached to the engine. The starter motor then
spins the engine over so that the piston can draw in a fuel/ air mixture, which
is then ignited to start the engine.
The Charging System
The charging system has two essential functions:
• Generate electrical power to run the vehicle's electrical systems
• Generate current to recharge the vehicle's battery
Electrical power -
At low engine speeds, the battery may supply
some of the power the vehicle needs. At high engine speeds, the
charging system handles all of the vehicle's electrical requirements.
Charging -
Alternator (generator) output is higher than battery
voltage to recharge the battery.
The alternator supplies power for the vehicle when the engine is running
and engine speed is above idle.
The voltage regulator controls the alternator’s output current.
The battery supplies current to energize the alternator field coil. The
battery also acts as a voltage stabilizer. The battery must always
remain attached to the electrical system while the engine is running.
The charging indicator is usually an ON/OFF warning lamp. When the
system is running, the light should be OFF. The lamp lights when the
charging system is not providing sufficient charge.
The Charging System
