Mobile Power Plant: Compact Generator
The generator is a compact "power station". It supplies current to all electrical units when the engine is running and supplies the battery with its excess energy. In the Mondeo, three-phase generators with 12 volts and a power of 90 amperes work in unison. They are driven by poly V-belts and rotate at approximately double the engine speed. Three-phase generators produce alternating current, which a rectifier built into the housing converts into direct current. The required on-board voltage is limited by a voltage regulator installed on the back of the generator. The generators charge the on-board batteries and, in addition, supply all connected electrical consumers.
Be careful with your battery – regulating the charging system with PCM
A cold battery is most efficient for high voltages, while a warm battery, on the contrary, refreshes with low voltage. Ford takes this fact into account in the Mondeo with the help of an expensive regulation system: the charging system is under the "supervision from above", namely, the powertrain control unit (PCM): it matches the charging voltage with the signal from the intake air temperature (IAT) sensor with the current battery temperature. In addition, it calculates the optimal voltage value for the battery and sends a signal from it to the regulator.
At the same time, the PCM controls and monitors the generator output. If the current consumption is high or the battery is discharged, the system, for example, increases the idle speed. In order to minimize the load on the engine (starter, battery) during the starting process, a slipping clutch disconnects the belt pulley from the armature shaft: Mondeo generators only operate at maximum load, when the engine is running. The PCM constantly increases the generator output with the help of this clutch. Do not try to do anything with a defective Mondeo generator - this is a typical case for a workshop.
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TECHNICAL DICTIONARY |
Measuring voltage, current and resistance
If you need to know whether the various electrical consumers on board your Mondeo are in good technical order, there is no need to immediately run to an auto electrician: there are a number of control devices on the market with which you can independently check the condition of electrical equipment.
Test lamp (with needle contact): it is designed to check whether there is voltage in a certain electrical circuit. The brighter the lamp glows, the higher the voltage in the circuit. Using the lamp needle, simply pierce the insulation of the wire being tested. The terminal of the lamp wire is connected to ground (for example, terminal 31 of the battery "minus pole", the engine body, bare metal of the car body). Note: the test lamp is not suitable for taking measurements on electronic devices (for example, in the control unit). For this, a tester with an LED is used - test lamps require a lot of power.
LED tester: Depending on the version, this device can measure direct and alternating voltage in the range from 6 to about 700 volts. The presence of voltage is indicated visually by means of a LED. Similar devices are available for sale at affordable prices starting from 5 euros.
Multimeter (universal measuring instrument): It is designed to measure voltage, current (AC/DC) and resistance. Suitable devices with digital display of measurement results can be found in car accessories stores at prices starting from 8 euros. The power supply of such devices is usually provided by batteries.
Voltage measurement: In order to, for example, measure the battery voltage with a multimeter when the external circuit is open, you need to connect the black wire marked "-" to terminal 31 (minus pole) of the battery or to ground. The red wire " of the measuring device should be connected to the positive terminal 30 of the battery (positive pole) or to the wire being measured. If the device shows approximately 10.4 volts, this indicates a defect in the battery cell. Check the battery voltage again when the starter is turned on. If it is about 5 volts (/- 0.5 V), this means that there is something wrong with the battery.
Measuring current strength. To do this, you need to disconnect the electrical circuit and insert a measuring device into it. To carry out a series of measurements in a car, it is quite sufficient to disconnect the connector and then connect the device between the connector and the contact tongue.
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Attention: pay attention to the measurement range set in the device of your multimeter. Very strong currents flow to such consumers as the starter, which, if installed incorrectly, can disable the device. |
Resistance measurement: A multimeter can be used to check whether a wire or switch is conducting current. If the current flows freely, the device shows a value of 0. If there is a defective wire or switch somewhere in the circuit, the measurement result is infinity. In addition, a multimeter can be used to determine the internal resistance of a particular electrical element.
Schematic connection of a multimeter: current (A), voltage (V) and resistance (W). Consumers are, for example, lamps, electric motors or a starter. |
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[The original source of the publication is on the website: FordBook.ru]
