LITE 605

CHARGING
SYSTEM
Presentation slides created by:
APRIL JOY G. LOBO
 Charging System

The charging system keeps a charge in your battery and

provides electrical energy for the radio, lights and other
features while the car is running.
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- The charging system provides the
electricity that powers the starter
motor and runs electrical
accessories, such as lights, audio
system, air conditioner, window
defroster and other components. 

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Purpose of
Charging
System

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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.
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FIG. 1 A block diagram of a simple
charging system. All charging systems have
the same basic components.

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 Components of
Charging System

 Alternator
 Voltage regulator
 batteries
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 Components of Charging
System

1. Alternator
An alternator is one of the major
and inevitable parts in
automobile charging system as
it plays the best role.
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FIG. 2 The three key
requirements needed to
produce AC voltage are a
magnetic field, a
conductor (coils of wire),
and motion. (a) Current
flow in one direction; (b)
Current flow reverses
direction. This creates
alternating current (AC).
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Two Components of Alternator
An alternator has two main components:
the rotor and the stator.

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 Power Equipment Engine Industry
can be divided into two general
types:

Permanent-Magnet Excited-Field
Alternators Electromagnet
Alternators
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Permanent-Magnet Alternator

FIG. 3 Permanent-
magnet systems are
the most popular
types of charging
systems found in
power equipment
engines.
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FIG. 4 Permanent-magnet charging systems are generally
located on the crankshaft of the engine under an engine cover.

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FIG. 5 Permanent magnets are attached
to the rotor.
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 Woodruff key

FIG. 6 Alternator rotors are held in place

generally by a woodruff key. 15
FIG. 7 The stator is mounted onto the
crankcase in most power equipment
engines.
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Excited-Field Electromagnet
Alternators

Excited-field electromagnet alternators

don't use a permanent magnet. Instead,
they have a field coil, which, energized
with DC, becomes a powerful magnet.
Power is generated as the rotor spins
past the stator.

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 Brush-Type Excited Field
The brush-type
excited-field coil
has the field coil
placed within the
rotor (FIG. 8).
Current flows
through carbon
brushes to the field-
coil slip rings.

FIG. 8 A diagram of a simple brush-type excited-

field alternator.
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 Brushless-Type Excited Field

The brushless type

excited-field coil (FIG.
9) has the rotor placed
around the inner field
coil, thereby
eliminating the need for
maintenance, which is
required with the
excited-field coil.

FIG. 9 A brushless-type excited-field alternator. 19

The Rectifier and the Voltage
Regulator

A rectifier is required to convert the AC from the

alternator into DC that is used by the battery.
The rectifier uses a diode or a group of diodes
to convert the AC into DC.

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FIG. 10 A voltage regulator/rectifier. The cooling fins help remove the
heat produced from the regulator when it sends excess current back
to ground.

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FIG. 11 Although two separate components, the
regulator and the rectifier are generally assembled
as one unit, as shown by the dashed lines in this
illustration.

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Rectifiers

The purpose of a rectifier is to change

the AC that's produced by the
alternator into DC to charge the
battery.

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FIG. 12 This simplified schematic shows a half-wave
rectifier, which blocks one-half of the AC waveform.

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Components of Charging
System

2. VOLTAGE REGULATOR

A VOLTAGE REGULATOR regulates the

charging voltage that the alternator
produces, keeping it between 13.5 and 14.5
volts to protect the electrical components
throughout the vehicle.
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 Components of Charging
System

3. 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. 26
 Lead Acid Batteries

FIG. 13 Batteries consist of a series of cells that

contain positive and negative plates.
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FIG. 14 When the plates of a battery are placed in an
electrolyte solution, electricity is created because of a
chemical reaction.
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CHARGING SYSTEM OPERATION

FIG. 23 A complete schematic of a tractor's electrical system.

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FIG. 24 A block diagram of a charging
system.
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TYPES OF CHARGING SYSTEMS

1. Half-Wave Charging System

FIG. 25 The half-wave charging system is simple in design as

it only has one diode.
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FIG. 26 A half-wave charging system with a
voltage regulator either fully charges or does
not charge the battery at all.
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TYPES OF CHARGING SYSTEMS

2. Full-Wave Charging System

FIG. 28 A full-wave charging system block diagram with a

voltage regulator.
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TYPES OF CHARGING SYSTEMS

3. Three-Phase Permanent-Magnet Charging System

FIG. 29 A three-phase permanent charging system has three coils of

wire at the alternator instead of one, as found in the half wave and full-
wave systems.
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FIG. 30 The alternator for the three-phase permanent-magnet charging
system has the rotor mounted on the crankshaft. The stator is mounted on
the crankcase.
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FIG. 31 The regulator/rectifier in a three phase charging
system has six diodes and three SCRs.
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FIG. 32 The waveform created by a three phase charging system closely
approximates that of a pure DC output, because three AC waves are
produced in a single revolution of the alternator's rotor.
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TYPES OF CHARGING SYSTEMS

4. Three-Phase Excited-Field Electro

magnet Charging System

FIG. 33 An excited-field charging system isn't generally

located on the crankshaft
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FIG. 34 The three-phase electromagnet system differs from the three-phase
permanent magnet system primarily because the former uses an
electromagnet instead of a permanent magnet to produce AC. Also, in most
cases, it's completely self-contained.
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CHARGING SYSTEM OPERATION

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Hand Tools for Electrical Work
Soldering gun

Soldering guns are used for applications where more heat is

required as irons use lower power. This tool is used for joining
stained glass, light sheet metal and heavy electronic soldering
work.
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Cutting pliers with a wire crimper

- are devices used to crush small metal objects and wiring to

create a crimp, a firm closure or join that will not open back
up on its own.
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Needle nose pliers

Needle nose pliers, also known as long-nose pliers, is a

versatile tool that has long, tapering jaws with a pointed
tip.
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Digital multi-meter

A digital multi-meter, or DMM, measures and verifies

multiple electrical stimuli, including voltage (volts), current
(amps) and resistance (ohms).

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Hydrometers

A hydrometer is an instrument that measures the

specific gravity or relative density of a liquid in
relation to water.
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Wire striper/crimping pliers

- is a small hand-held tool that is used to remove the

insulation from electric wires.
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 Test Light

(a) A typical test light; (b) circuit diagram of a test light

in use
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 Multi meter

A Multimeter is an electronic instrument, every electronic

technician and engineer’s widely used piece of test
equipment. A multimeter is mainly used to measure the
three basic electrical characteristics of voltage, current, and
resistance
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 Charging System Troubleshooting

Problem Possible Cause Action/Recommendation

Warning Lamp 1. Blow use 1. Check CHARGE, IGN,

does not light, 2. Lamp burned out AND ENGINE fuses;
with ignition 3. Wiring connections replace as needed after
ON and loose correcting cause
engine off 4. Defective relay 2. Replace lamp
5. Defective regulator 3. Check voltage drop in
circuit, tighten loosen
connections
4. Check relays, if used , for
continuity and proper
operation
5. Check alternator output

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 Charging System Troubleshooting

Problem Possible Cause Action/Recommendation

Warning lamp 1. Loose or worn drive 1. Check drive belt; adjust or

does not go belt replace as needed after
out with 2. Defective battery or correcting cause
engine battery connections 2. Check battery and its
running; 3. Blown fuse or connections
battery fusible ink 3. Check fuse and fusible
overcharged 4. Defective relay, ink; replace as needed
or regulator, or 4. Check charging output
undercharged alternator and component operation;
5. Defective wiring as needed
5. Check voltage drop

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 Charging System Troubleshooting

Problem Possible Cause Action/Recommendation

Noise 1. Loose or worn drive 1. Check drive belt; adjust or

belt replace as needed
2. Worn alternator 2. Replace the alternator
bearings 3. Replace the alternator
3. Defective diode

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