Abdullah Mohammed Safwat

Vehicle electrical components

32020188

Charging System

Dr/ SAEED
ENG/ YOUSEF TAHA
03/11/2023
 INTRODUCTION
Vehicles charging system is responsible for charging the battery as well as
powering the electrical components of the car while the engine is running.

This is done by taking some of the engine’s power to drive an alternator to

therefore produce power by electromagnetic field. There are two types of
charging system :

Conventional : which has 3 main components the alternator the battery and the
voltage regulator

Modern type: is as the conventional except that the voltage regulator unit is built
inside the alternator

CONSTRUCTION
The main components of the AC generator are

1. The rotor

2. Brushes

3. The stator

4. The rectifier bridge

5. The housing

6. Cooling fan

Rotors: The rotor creates the rotating magnetic field of the AC generator. It is the
portion of the AC generator that is rotated by the drive belt. The rotor is
constructed of many turns of copper wire around an iron core. There are metal
plates bent over the windings at both ends of the rotor windings. The poles (metal
plates) do not come into contact with each other, but they are interlaced. When
current passes through the coil (1.5 to 3.0 amperes), a magnetic field is produced.
The strength of the magnetic field is dependent on the amount of current flowing
through the coil and the number of windings.

Figure 1- 1: exploded view of an alternator

Figure 1- 2: Ac generator rotor

The wires from the rotor coil are attached to two slip rings that are insulated from
the rotor shaft. The slip rings function much like the armature commutator in the
starter motor, except they are smooth. The insulated stationary carbon brush
passes field current into a slip ring, then through the field coil, and back to the
other slip ring. Current then passes through a grounded stationary brush or to a
voltage regulator.

Brushes: The field winding of the rotor receives current through a pair of brushes
that ride against the slip rings. The brushes and slip rings provide a means of
maintaining electrical continuity between stationary and rotating components.
The brushes ride the surface of the slip rings on the rotor and are held tight
against the slip rings by spring tension provided by the brush holders. The brushes
conduct only the field current (2 to 5 amperes). The low current that the brushes
must carry contributes to their longer life. Direct current from the battery is
supplied to the rotating field through the field terminal and the insulated brush.
The second brush may be the ground brush, which is attached to the AC
generator housing or to a voltage regulator.

Stators: The stator contains three main sets of windings wrapped in slots around
a laminated, circular iron frame. The stator is the stationary coil in which
electricity is produced. Each of the three windings has the same number of coils
as the rotor has pairs of north and south poles. The coils of each winding are
evenly spaced around the core. The three sets of windings alternate and overlap
as they pass through the core.

Figure 1- 3: a typical stator

Diode Rectifier Bridge:

The battery and the electrical system cannot accept or store AC voltage. For the
vehicle’s electrical system to be able to use the voltage and current generated in
the AC generator, the AC current needs to be converted to DC current. This
process is called rectification. A split-ring commutator cannot be used to rectify
AC current to DC current because the stator is stationary in an AC generator.
Instead, a diode rectifier bridge is used to change the current in an AC generator.
Acting as a one-way check valve, the diodes switch the current flow back and
forth so that it flows from the AC generator in only one direction. When AC
current reverses itself, the diode blocks and no current flows. If AC current passes
through a positively biased diode, the diode will block off the negative pulse.

Figure 1- 4: a rectifier bridge

AC Generator Housing and Cooling Fan

Most AC generator housings are a two-piece construction, made from cast

aluminum. The two end frames provide support of the rotor and the stator. In
addition, the end frames contain the diodes, regulator, heat sinks, terminals, and
other components of the AC generator. The two end pieces are referred to as:

1. The drive end housing: This housing holds a bearing to support the front of the
rotor
shaft. The rotor shaft extends through the drive end housing and holds the drive
pulley and cooling fan.

2. The slip ring end housing: This housing also holds a rotor shaft that supports a
bearing. In addition, it contains the brushes and has all of the electrical terminals.
If the AC generator has an integral regulator, it is also contained in this housing.
The cooling fan draws air into the housing through the openings at the rear of the
housing. The air leaves through openings behind the cooling fan.

Figure 1- 5: airflow on an alternator

 CIRCUIT OPERATION
There are three principal circuits used in an AC generator:

1. Ignition ON, engine stop:

fusable warning voltage

battery earth
link lamp regulator

fusable ignition voltage

slip rings brushes rotors earth
link switch regulator

2. Engine operating (low-middle speed)

voltage voltage
stator earth
relay coil regulator

voltage
Stator rectifier battery earth
regulator
 voltage
Stator
battery regulator slip rings brushes rotor earth
rectifier
coil

3. Engine operating (high speed)

voltage
Stator rectifier slip rings brushes rotor earth
regulator

Figure 1- 6: circuit diagram

Figure 1-7: operation on an IC voltage regulator alternator
 Figure 1-8: two contact point voltage regulator diagram

CIRCUIT TESTING
To indicate if the alternator isn’t working turn the car key on the ignition to
contact and the charge lamp should light up if it didn’t then the following
procedure must be followed:
 Figure 1- 7: battery warning lamp

1. Disconnect the battery cables. Remove the positive (+) and negative (-)
battery cables.
2. Check the voltage regulator. Use a multimeter set to ohms to test the
voltage regulator and connections for continuity or shorts.

Figure 1- 8: multimeter

3. Check the wiring harness. Inspect the wires running between the
alternator, battery, and regulator for cracks, corrosion or cuts that could
cause issues.
4. Test the alternator output. With the engine off, connect a multimeter set to
DC volts between the alternator B+ and B- terminals. It should read 0 volts
with no charging source.
5. Check the belt tension. Make sure the alternator belt is properly tensioned
and not slipping. A loose belt can cause charging problems.
6. Start the engine. With the engine running at moderate RPMs, the
alternator output should read in the 13-14 volt range.
7. Load test the alternator. Rev the engine and turn on lights/AC to load the
alternator. Voltage should remain regulated close to 14V.
8. Check individual diodes. Use a diode test mode to check if each alternator
diode is functioning by allowing current flow in only one direction.
9. Inspect connectors. Look for loose, corroded or damaged connectors at the
alternator, battery and voltage regulator.

Figure 1- 9: corroded battery terminal

10. Check for shorts to ground. A short in the system can drain the battery
while charging. Test for loose or rubbed wires touching metal parts.