RANAGHAT GOVERNMENT POLYTECHNIC

DEPARTMENT OF AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING

AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS LAB (AEPC504)

EXPERIMENT NO: 04

TITLE: Study, testing and sketching of charging system and the constructional details of Automotive Alternator.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the various components of Charging System.

To know the basic functions of different components of Alternator.

TOOLS REQUIRED: Combination pliers, wire cutter, screw drivers etc.

APPARATUS REQUIED:

Battery, alternator, Voltage regulator, solenoid, fusing, charging indicator etc.

INTRODUCTION:

The automobile charging system is a set of components working to keep a charge and provide electrical energy for the
vehicle electrical devices. Modern vehicles are now designed with many electrical parts which makes them required a
large amount of electrical energy. The charging system powers the headlights, dashboard indicators light or warning
lamps, fuses, relays, engine plugs, brainbox, ECU, radio, control screen, fuel injector system, sensors etc. All these
components are interconnected to the car battery which is charged by the alternator.
Both vehicle users and mechanics need to have a basic understanding of automobile charging system. The charging
system powers the electrical components of a vehicle. in modern engines, it consists of the alternator, battery, wiring
and electronic control unit (ECU). Older designs use regulator, but since newer cars are computerized regulators are
often found in the alternator.

FUNCTIONS OF CHARGING SYSTEM

The primary purpose of the charging system is to provide power to all electrical components in a vehicle. It comprises
alternator that maintains and keep the vehicle’s battery charged. Charging system supplies electrical current to fire the
spark plugs, which ignite the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber, Alternators help to charge dead batteries,
while the engine is running. Charging system help to send the engine mechanical issue to the engines ECU using a
sensing device. Vehicles electrical components are powered when the engine is not running. More functions will be
covered as we explain the components of the charging system.

COMPONENTS OF ENGINE CHARGING SYSTEM

Below are the major parts of the charging system in automobile engines:

Alternator:
An alternator is one of the major and inevitable parts in automobile charging system as it plays the best role. The
electrical power that charges the battery is from the alternator, but the current produced is alternating current (AC).
This AC power is immediately converted to direct current (DC) because automobiles use a 12-volt DC electrical
system. The dead battery does not mean there is something wrong with it. it just that being deprive of charge, this is
why alternator is also checked if a car is not starting.

Voltage Regulator:
The voltage regulator controls the alternator’s power output. Though this device is often located in the alternator, as it
regulates the charging voltage that the alternator produces. It keeps the voltage between 13.5 and 14.5 volts to protect

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the electrical parts in the vehicle. in modern vehicles that use ECU to sense when the battery needs to be charged as
controls the volt supplied. The warning lamp in the dashboard indicates something is wrong with the charging system.
Often time the warning lamp is indicating faulty alternator, resulting in an uncharged battery.
Battery:
The battery is another essential of the automobile charging system, as it serves as a reservoir of electrical power. the
engines starter motor is directly connected to the positive terminal. It helps to crank the component making the engine
to start. As the engine is running, alternator directly charges the battery. The battery can also supply power to the
electrical components when the engine isn’t running.

WORKING PRINCIPLE:
The working of a car charging system can be complex or easy, depending on the design. Well, the diagram layout of a
vehicle charging system has been indicated below this post. It shows the alternator, battery and vehicle loads, which
are the electric components. in its design, alternators voltage is less than battery voltage when the engine is not
running. This is because the current from the battery is used to power the vehicle loads and not the alternator. The
alternator contains diodes that prevent current from flowing into the alternator.
In a situation where the engine is running, the alternator current output is greater than the battery voltage. The current
flow from the alternator to the electrical load in the vehicle and the battery to charge it up. Conventionally, the
alternators output voltage is above the battery voltage when the engine is working.
Now you can see vehicles electrical load are still powered even the engine is not running, as far the battery is charged
enough. Though a large amount of energy is needed to power the various electrical system contained in a vehicle.
Batteries can still meet reasonable electrical demands depending on their strength.
A car charging system begins its working when the starter key is on the ignition, at the point the vehicle electrical
components rely on the battery. as soon as the engine begins working alternator start supplying power to the
components and battery. This is why the battery is charged when the engine is running.

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ALTERNATOR:

The alternator converts mechanical energy from the engine into electrical energy. It is usually mounted on the side of
the engine. The engine crankshaft pulley drives the alternator through a belt at two or three times the crankshaft speed.
A regulator in the alternator prevents the alternator from producing excessive voltage. Some manufacturers call the
alternator a generator or a.c generator. The alternator restores the charge to the battery and also handles the load of the
ignition, lights, radio and other electrical and electronic equipment’s while the engine is running. The speed of the
generator at which its output voltage just rises above voltage of the battery being charged is called cutting- in speed.

Various type of alternator are being used these days .they may either be fitted with an battery even engine is idling
where dynamo does not alternator runs at a speed of 200 rpm safely considering maximum engine speed 4000-5000
rpm the ratio of alternator pulley to crank shafts pulley is limited to about 2.5:1 to 28.8:[Link] idle speed of the engine
(400 rpm) alternator runs at about 1000-1100rpm an alternator with 15 cm diameter and 15 cm length gives an output
of 45A at 13.5V and has a mass of about 5 Kg .no maintenance required life more no cut out relay is not used.

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Construction of an Alternator
The main components of an alternator or synchronous generator are rotor and stator. The main difference between
rotor and stator is, the rotor is a rotating part and stator is not a rotating component means it is a stationary part. The
motors are generally run by rotor and stator.

The stator word based on the stationary and the rotor word based on the rotating. The construction of the stator of an
alternator is equal to the construction of the stator of an induction motor. So induction motor construction and
synchronous motor construction are both are same. Thus the stator is the stationary part of the rotor and the rotor is the
component that rotates inside of the stator. The rotor is located on the stator shaft and the series of the electromagnets
arranged in a cylinder causing the rotor to rotate and create a magnetic field.

Working Principle of Alternator

All the alternators work on the principle of electromagnetic induction. According to this law, for producing the
electricity we need a conductor, magnetic field and mechanical energy. Every machine that rotates and reproduces
Alternating Current. To understand the working principle of the alternator, consider two opposite magnetic poles north
and south, and the flux is traveling between these two magnetic poles. In the figure (a) rectangular coil is placed
between the north and south magnetic poles. The position of the coil is such that the coil is parallel to the flux, so no
flux is cutting and therefore no current is induced. So that the waveform generated in that position is Zero degrees.

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If the rectangular coil rotates in a clockwise direction at an axis a and b, the conductor side A and B comes in front of
the south pole and C and D come in front of a north pole as shown in figure (b). So, now we can say that the motion of
the conductor is perpendicular to the flux lines from N to S pole and the conductor cuts the magnetic flux. At this
position, the rate of flux cutting by the conductor is maximum because the conductor and flux are perpendicular to
each other and therefore the current is induced in the conductor and this current will be in maximum position.
The conductor rotates one more time at 900 in a clockwise direction then the rectangular coil comes in the vertical
position. Now the position of the conductor and magnetic flux line is parallel to each other as shown in figure (c). In
this figure, no flux is cutting by the conductor and therefore no current is induced. In this position, the waveform is
reduced to zero degrees because the flux is not cutting.
In the second half cycle, the conductor is continued to rotate in a clockwise direction for another 900. So here the
rectangular coil comes to a horizontal position in such a way that the conductor A and B comes in front of the north
pole, C and D come in front of the south pole as shown in the figure (d). Again the current will flow through the
conductor that is currently induced in the conductor A and B is from point B to A and in conductor C and D is from
point D to C, so the waveform produced in opposite direction, and reaches to the maximum value. Then the direction
of the current indicated as A, D, C and B as shown in figure (d). If the rectangular coil again rotates in another 900
then the coil reaches the same position from where the rotation is started. Therefore, the current will again drop to
zero.
In the complete cycle, the current in the conductor reaches the maximum and reduces to zero and in the opposite
direction, the conductor reaches the maximum and again reaches zero. This cycle repeats again and again, due to this
repetition of the cycle the current will be induced in the conductor continuously.
This is the process of producing the current and EMF of a single-phase. Now for producing 3 phases, the coils are
placed at the displacement of 1200 each. So the process of producing the current is the same as the single-phase but
only the difference is the displacement between three phases is 1200. This is the working principle of an alternator.

PRECAUTION:
 Keep work area clean and organize.
 Pick up appropriate tools and use tool cabinets.
 Never wear loose clothing or clothing that is ripped or torn.
 Never touch any moving components.
 Do not touch any live wire.
 Avoid water and any other conducting materials when working with electricity.
 Take the reading carefully.

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