Starting and charging systems check, this was my main focus this last week. I was very sick the better part of the school week and wasn't able to attend class. So what I did do was watch countless videos on YouTube of people performing starting and charging system checks on various types of vehicles, tractors, heavy equipment etc. When I finally felt better, I decided to practice what I had been watching. I spent some time on Saturday at my moms house performing starting and charging systems checks on 2 Honda accords a Mazda 626 and  a Toyota camry.

This picture shows me testing the battery prior to any other tests to make sure I have a battery that is in a good state. As you can see the reading on my volt meter 12.98v is telling me that the battery is in a good state of charge.

This shows the one of the leads going to the pos. side of the alternator as I test the voltage drop across the pos. cable.

This picture along with the the one to the right show me testing the voltage drop between the pos. battery post to the pos. post on the alternator. Again I had a very except-able reading on the volt meter of .166v.

 This picture shows the reading I got while testing the voltage drop on neg. side of the starter and battery connection.Once again the reading on the volt meter of .024v is good.













Where are my gloves......

This picture shows the reading given while testing the charging voltage at the battery. 14.14v is again good.











I got to say by the end of the day on Saturday, I was feeling pretty damn confident in being able to test smaller vehicles starting and charging systems. However I haven't done a starting and charging systems check on a Heavy Truck, this will be my task for this next week.

Another thing I happen to do was take a 25 question pretest on Air brakes. I DID NOT PASS. 15 out of 25. So what did I learn? That I need to spend a little time in the books and on the web and figure out some of the things I don't understand about air brake systems. I can already tell that what I do know is only the tip of the what I don't know iceberg.






Week 2
Hours 14ish