Heavy duty charging and starting system testor and method
First Claim
1. A method of testing a charging system of a vehicle comprising the steps of:
- testing a bank of batteries of the vehicle;
testing cables connecting an alternator to the batteries;
testing the alternator; and
determining test results of the battery, cable and alternator testing steps.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A systematic method and system for testing the charging and starting systems of a vehicle, which requires each individual test to pass before proceeding is provided. In addition, the system and method incorporates an improved alternator test that determines whether the alternator belt is slipping using data read using a vehicle data port. Further, the system and method provides a battery bank test that correlates the voltage before and after a load is applied to the battery bank to the batteries'"'"' conditions. When testing the starter, the oil temperature is read via the vehicle data port, allowing for a determination of whether the current draw is abnormally high.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A method of testing a charging system of a vehicle comprising the steps of:
-
testing a bank of batteries of the vehicle;
testing cables connecting an alternator to the batteries;
testing the alternator; and
determining test results of the battery, cable and alternator testing steps. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A system for testing the charging system of a vehicle comprising:
-
a tester apparatus;
a plurality of load leads adapted to connect to components of the charging system;
a plurality of voltage leads for connecting to the components of the charging system;
a data connection cable for connecting said tester to a vehicle data port;
a cable for connecting said tester to an R-terminal on an alternator of the vehicle; and
a circuit for determining a condition of batteries of the vehicle, said cables and said alternator. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
-
-
11. An apparatus for testing a starting system of a vehicle comprising:
-
means for testing a bank of batteries of the vehicle;
means for testing a magnetic circuit of the starting system;
means for testing main starting cables of the starting system;
means for testing a starter of the vehicle; and
means for determining results of the battery, magnetic circuit, cables and starter testing steps. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 26, 27)
-
-
19. A system for testing the starting system of a vehicle comprising:
-
a tester apparatus;
a plurality of load leads adapted to connect to components of the starting system;
a plurality of voltage leads for connecting to the components of the charging system;
a data connection cable for connecting said tester to a vehicle data port; and
said tester having an circuit for determining the condition of said batteries, said magnetic circuit, cables and said starter. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
-
22. An apparatus for testing a charging and starting system comprising:
-
means for determining whether a test should be run;
means for determining the number of batteries in the vehicle;
means for determining whether said vehicle has a data port; and
means for beginning said test. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
-
-
25. A system for testing the charging and starting system of a vehicle comprising:
-
a tester apparatus;
a plurality of load leads adapted to connect to components of the charging and starting system;
a plurality of voltage leads for connecting to the components of the charging and starting system;
a data connection cable for connecting said tester to a vehicle data port;
an cable for connecting said tester to an R-terminal on said alternator; and
said tester having an circuit for determining the condition of batteries or battery bank, cables, magnetic circuit, said starter and said alternator.
-
Specification