Alternator battery system tester and method
First Claim
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1. A system for testing a vehicle alternator comprising:
- a tester apparatus;
a plurality of load leads adapted to connect to components of the charging system, wherein said components include said alternator;
a plurality of voltage leads for connecting to components of the charging system, wherein said components include said alternator;
a data connection cable for connecting said tester to a vehicle data port;
a cable for connecting said tester to an R-terminal on said alternator; and
a processor for determining the condition of said alternator, wherein in determining the condition of said alternator a first ratio of a first engine RPM to a first corresponding R-terminal frequency is compared to a second ratio of a second engine RPM to a second corresponding R-terminal frequency.
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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 invention incorporates an improved alternator test that determines whether the alternator belt is slipping using data read using a vehicle data port. Further, the invention 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.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for testing a vehicle alternator comprising:
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a tester apparatus; a plurality of load leads adapted to connect to components of the charging system, wherein said components include said alternator; a plurality of voltage leads for connecting to components of the charging system, wherein said components include said alternator; a data connection cable for connecting said tester to a vehicle data port; a cable for connecting said tester to an R-terminal on said alternator; and a processor for determining the condition of said alternator, wherein in determining the condition of said alternator a first ratio of a first engine RPM to a first corresponding R-terminal frequency is compared to a second ratio of a second engine RPM to a second corresponding R-terminal frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for testing an alternator of a vehicle comprising:
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means for connecting leads from a tester to said alternator; means for determining whether said vehicle has a vehicle data port; means for connecting said tester to the R-terminal of said alternator; means for reading data from said R-terminal when the engine is idling at a set point; means for loading the alternator system; means for reading a ripple and a voltage when the engine is revved to a governed speed; means for monitoring the voltage for a set period of time; and means for determining the condition of the alternator, wherein in determining the condition of said alternator a first ratio of a first engine RPM to a first corresponding R-terminal frequency is compared to a second ratio of a second engine RPM to a second corresponding R-terminal frequency. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification