Refer to Starter and Charging, Cell 30 in Electrical Diagnosis
for information on the charging system.
Important: The generator does not require periodic maintenance.
Wiring Connections
In addition to the ground path through the generator housing and engine,
the generator uses 3 wiring connections:
| • | The output terminal connects to battery positive, and is hot at
all times. |
| • | Generator terminal L is connected to the PCM. The connection is
through harness terminal B in the 4-way generator connector. |
| | If the built-in regulator detects a charging system fault, the regulator
grounds this circuit. Grounding the circuit signals the PCM to light the charge
indicator in the instrument cluster. |
| • | Generator terminal F is connected internally to the generator
field. Terminal F is also connected to the PCM through harness terminal C
in the 4-way generator connector. |
| | The PCM monitors this circuit for fault detection. Monitoring lasts
from the time the engine is turned ON until the engine starts. As long as
the duty cycle signal in this circuit indicates that the generator is not
operating, the PCM lights the charge indicator. |
| | When the duty cycle first indicates that the generator is operating,
the PCM turns OFF the charge indicator. The PCM then switches fault detection
monitoring to the L circuit. |
Charge Indicator
The charge indicator in the instrument cluster turns ON if the ignition
is ON and the engine is not running. When the engine starts, the indicator
should turn OFF. If the indicator turns ON and remains ON when the engine
is running, there is a fault in the charging system. The charge indicator
does not identify what type of fault the PCM detects. The charge indicator
also turns ON while the engine is running if the system voltage is too high
or too low.
Voltage Regulator
The regulator voltage setting varies with temperature. It limits system
voltage by controlling rotor field current while the field current is ON.
The regulator actually switches rotor field current ON and OFF at a fixed
frequency in order to help control radio noise. The frequency is about 400
cycles per second. The regulator obtains the correct average field current
for proper system voltage control by varying the overall ON/OFF time of
the rotor field current. At high speeds the ON-time may be 10%, with 90%
OFF-time. At low speeds, with high electrical loads, the ON/OFF time may
be 90%/10%.
