VEHICLES
Don’t waste time trying to diagnose major
component failure when the problem could
be something much simpler and less costly.
By Gregg Wartgow, Contributing Editor
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
18 Fleet Maintenance | June 2018
he starter, alternator and battery all work together
to supply electrical power to a vehicle. Th e battery
stores energy and supplies it to the starter. Th e
alternator then supplies power to all of the electrical
accessories, as well as back to the battery
to keep it charged. Yes, it’s pretty straightforward.
But there’s a lot going on within that chain of
events. Th us, there’s a lot that can go wrong.
As a comparison, it’s quite similar to how the
human body functions. Th e heart (battery) pumps
blood (electrical energy) throughout the body
(vehicle). Without properly functioning arteries
and veins, things can start to malfunction. Th at’s
why Rob Steele, application engineering manager
for starters and alternators at BorgWarner, says
fl eets cannot overlook the cables, which could
be considered the main arteries and veins of an
electrical system.
“Heavy cables and the associated connections
interlock the battery, starter and alternator to one
another and to the rest of the vehicle electrical
system,” Steele says. “It is the electrical highway in
which energy is delivered. If you have restrictions
or slowdowns in the form of voltage drops due to
frayed wires, loose connections or corrosion, the
system becomes less effi cient.”
BorgWarner provides technology solutions for
combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles. Its brand
includes Delco Remy Genuine Products - Starters
and Alternators.
All four electrical system components (battery,
starter, alternator and cables) have one thing in
common: Operating environment can impact
reliability. High temperatures, vibration and
corrosive contaminants attack electrical system
components. Preventive maintenance is the key
to system performance and longevity.
Troubleshooting and
preventive maintenance
Whenever there is an electrical issue, the fi rst
thing a fl eet should verify is the battery state of
Getting to the
heart of starter and
alternator trouble
T