Electrical system test apparatus
First Claim
1. In a test system for testing and analyzing an electrical system including an alternator assembly, a battery charged by the alternator assembly and connected thereto, and a regulator connected to the alternator assembly for controlling the charging of the battery, the alternator assembly including an alternator and a rectifier circuit whereby an output voltage is provided having a d-c voltage with a superimposed a-c ripple, the output voltage being provided at an output terminal on the alternator and an electrical ground, said system comprising a plurality of indicator circuits for indicating the condition of at least two of the alternator, rectifier circuit, regulator and/or battery, an input circuit means connected between the alternator assembly and the plurality of indicator circuits for providing an unfiltered voltage having an magnitude varying in accordance with the variations in magnitude of the d-c voltage and the a-c ripple, said input circuit means comprising only a single pair of lead conductors with one of said conductors adapted to be connected to the output terminal of the alternator and the other adapted to be connected to the electrical ground whereby said unfiltered voltage is provided by said pair of conductors without altering the alternator assembly, said input circuit means also providing a filtered voltage derived from said unfiltered voltage from said single pair of conductors and having a generally uniform magnitude varying in accordance with the magnitude of the output voltage, said input circuit means also providing a source of a reference voltage derived from said unfiltered voltage from said single pair of conductors and having a preselected magnitude less than and independent of the magnitude of the output voltage, said reference voltage being interconnected with at least some of said indicator circuits, one of said indicator circuits being connected to receive said unfiltered voltage and said filtered voltage for comparing said filtered voltage and said unfiltered voltage and providing an output indication when the magnitude of said filtered voltage and the magnitude of said unfiltered voltage including its a-c ripple bear a preselected relationship, one to the other, the remainder of said plurality of indicator circuits being connected as comparator circuits, one input to said remainder of said indicator circuits being connected to sense a preselected percentage of said filtered voltage and comparing that preselected percentage to said reference voltage, each of said remaining indicator circuits providing an output indication when said percentage bears a preselected relationship to said reference voltage to indicate selected faults in the alternator, regulator and/or the battery.
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Abstract
An alternator-battery electrical system test apparatus which, in one modification, includes a four stage voltage level sensing system, each stage being operative in response to a particular condition of the electrical system under test. The first stage senses the filtered and unfiltered output of the alternator to provide a pulsed output which provides an indication of any diode failure or winding failure in the alternator. The remaining three stages sense the voltage output from the alternator as compared to a fixed reference, each particular voltage condition providing an indication of a preselected electrical condition within the circuit. The entire system is calibrated by a single calibrating resistor. The second modification of the system provides two outputs, one output indicating a regular defect and a diode condition indicator and the other indicator providing an indication of no defects in the system if conducting alone, or an alternator defect if conducting simultaneously with the above mentioned one output. The circuit is substantially identical to the first modification, with certain elements eliminated.
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Citations
29 Claims
- 1. In a test system for testing and analyzing an electrical system including an alternator assembly, a battery charged by the alternator assembly and connected thereto, and a regulator connected to the alternator assembly for controlling the charging of the battery, the alternator assembly including an alternator and a rectifier circuit whereby an output voltage is provided having a d-c voltage with a superimposed a-c ripple, the output voltage being provided at an output terminal on the alternator and an electrical ground, said system comprising a plurality of indicator circuits for indicating the condition of at least two of the alternator, rectifier circuit, regulator and/or battery, an input circuit means connected between the alternator assembly and the plurality of indicator circuits for providing an unfiltered voltage having an magnitude varying in accordance with the variations in magnitude of the d-c voltage and the a-c ripple, said input circuit means comprising only a single pair of lead conductors with one of said conductors adapted to be connected to the output terminal of the alternator and the other adapted to be connected to the electrical ground whereby said unfiltered voltage is provided by said pair of conductors without altering the alternator assembly, said input circuit means also providing a filtered voltage derived from said unfiltered voltage from said single pair of conductors and having a generally uniform magnitude varying in accordance with the magnitude of the output voltage, said input circuit means also providing a source of a reference voltage derived from said unfiltered voltage from said single pair of conductors and having a preselected magnitude less than and independent of the magnitude of the output voltage, said reference voltage being interconnected with at least some of said indicator circuits, one of said indicator circuits being connected to receive said unfiltered voltage and said filtered voltage for comparing said filtered voltage and said unfiltered voltage and providing an output indication when the magnitude of said filtered voltage and the magnitude of said unfiltered voltage including its a-c ripple bear a preselected relationship, one to the other, the remainder of said plurality of indicator circuits being connected as comparator circuits, one input to said remainder of said indicator circuits being connected to sense a preselected percentage of said filtered voltage and comparing that preselected percentage to said reference voltage, each of said remaining indicator circuits providing an output indication when said percentage bears a preselected relationship to said reference voltage to indicate selected faults in the alternator, regulator and/or the battery.
- 11. In a test system for testing and analyzing an electrical system including an alternator assembly, a battery charged by the alternator assembly and connected thereto, and a regulator connected to the alternator assembly for controlling the charging of the battery, the alternator assembly including an alternator and a rectifier whereby an output voltage is provided having a d-c voltage with a superimposed a-c ripple, the output voltage being provided at an output terminal on the alternator and an electrical ground, said test system comprising a plurality of indicator circuits for indicating the condition of at least two of the alternator, rectifier circuit, regulator and/or battery, an input circuit means connected between the alternator assembly and the plurality of indicator circuits for providing an unfiltered voltage having a magnitude varying in accordance with the variations in magnitude of the d-c voltage and the a-c ripple, said input circuit means comprising only a single pair of lead conductors with one of said conductors adapted to be connected to the output terminal of the alternator and the other adapted to be connected to the electrical ground whereby said unfiltered voltage is provided by said pair of conductors without altering the alternator assembly, said input circuit means also providing a filtered voltage derived from said unfiltered voltage from said single pair of conductors and having a generally uniform magnitude varying in accordance with the magnitude of the output voltage, said input circuit means also providing a source of a reference voltage derived from said unfiltered voltage from said single pair of conductors and having a preselected magnitude less than and independent of the magnitude of the output voltage, said input circuit means further providing a voltage single derived from said unfiltered voltage and having a magnitude varying in accordance with the variations in magnitude of the a-c ripple, said reference voltage being interconnected with at least some of said indicator circuits, one of said indicator circuits being connected to receive said voltage signal and providing an output indication when said voltage signal attains a preselected magnitude whereby said output indication will provide a signal indicating that the a-c ripple is excessive, the remainder of said plurality of indicator circuits being connected as comparator circuits, one input to said remainder of said indicator circuits being connected to sense a preselected percentage of said filtered voltage and comparing that preselected percentage to said reference voltage, each of said remaining indicator circuits providing an output indication when said percentage bears a preselected relationship to said reference voltage to indicate selected faults in the alternator, regulator and/or the battery.
- 12. In a test system for testing and analyzing an electrical system including an alternator assembly, a battery charged by the alternator assembly and connected thereto, and a regulator connected to the alternator assembly for controlling the charging of the battery, the alternator assembly including an alternator and a rectifier circuit whereby an output voltage is provided having a d-c voltage with a superimposed a-c ripple, the output voltage being provided at an output terminal on the alternator and an electrical ground, said test system comprising a plurality of indicator circuits for indicating the condition of at least two of the alternator, rectifier circuit, regulator and/or battery, an input circuit means connected between the alternator assembly and the plurality of indicator circuits for providing an unfiltered voltage having a magnitude varying in accordance with the variations in magnitude of the d-c voltage and the a-c ripple, said input circuit means comprising only a single pair of lead conductors with one of said conductors adapted to be connected to the output terminal of the alternator and the other adapted to be connected to the electrical ground whereby said unfiltered voltage is provided by said pair of conductors without altering the alternator assembly, said input circuit means also providing a source of a reference voltage derived from said unfiltered voltage from said single pair of conductors and having a preselected magnitude less than and independent of the magnitude of the output voltage, said input circuit means further providing a first voltage signal derived from said unfiltered voltage and having a magnitude varying in accordance with the variations in magnitude of the a-c ripple, said reference voltage being interconnected with at least some of said indicator circuits, one of said indicator circuits being connected to receive said first voltage signal and providing an output indication when said voltage signal attains a preselected magnitude whereby said output indication will provide a signal indicating that the a-c ripple is excessive, said input circuit means providing a plurality of second voltage signals derived from said unfiltered voltage, the remainder of said plurality of indicator circuits being connected as comparator circuits, one input to each of said remainder of said indicator circuits being connected to sense a preselected percentage of one of said second voltage signals and comparing that preselected percentage to said reference voltage, each of said remaining indicator circuits providing an output indication when said preselected percentage bears a preselected relationship to said reference voltage to indicate selected faults in the alternator, regulator and/or the battery.
Specification