Starting & Charging

The starting & charging system consists of the battery, starter, alternator, cables, wiring, and related components like relays, solenoids, and voltage regulators. The battery provides power to the starter and ignition system when you turn the key. The starter turns the crankshaft so the engine builds enough compression to start, and the alternator recharges the battery and powers the vehicle’s electrical accessories when the engine is running.

Batteries are electrochemical devices in which a chemical reaction between two dissimilar materials creates a voltage. A number of positive and negative plates are immersed in an electrolyte solution of water and sulfuric acid. In conventional flooded lead acid batteries, which includes maintenance-free batteries, the electrolyte is in liquid form. In the gel cell battery, silica is added to the electrolyte to form a gel-type material, while in AGM batteries, the electrolyte is held in matting that is akin to a sponge. If the case cracks on a gel cell or AGM battery, no electrolyte will leak out.

Whereas most vehicle batteries look almost identical and have similar dimensions, they may provide completely different specifications. So, choosing a replacement car battery you should consider some key factors to pick out the right one. First of all, you need to know whether you have a 12V or 24V battery. Another key factors are the reserve capacity of a car battery, which says how long it can continuously supply minimum voltage needed to run your vehicle, and cold cranking amperes, which determines the battery's ability to start your vehicle even in extremely cold weather.

The starter motor converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. The starter circuit includes the battery, starter, and cables, which are activated by a starter control circuit consisting of the ignition switch, starter relay, solenoid, and wiring. When you turn the ignition switch, the relay energizes the starter solenoid, which sends power to the starter motor. The starter drive meshes with the flywheel/flexplate teeth before the starter motor begins to turn. Most starter drives are the overrunning clutch type, which only applies force in one direction, so the engine cannot apply torque to the starter.

A belt from the crankshaft drives the alternator, and it uses this mechanical energy to create electricity. The electricity is produced when the belt spins the rotor, creating a magnetic field that induces a voltage in the stator windings. Alternators produce AC current, which is rectified by diodes and transformed into the DC current that recharges the battery and powers the electrical system. The voltage output of the alternator must be controlled. This is done by varying the field current. On older vehicles this was done by a separate voltage regulator, but on most new vehicles regulator function is part of the ECM.

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