CHAPTER V

TYPICAL STARTING AND LIGHTING SYSTEMS

Delco-Dyneto-Entz-Auto-Lite-Gray & Davis-North East-Bijur-SimmsHuff-Genemotor-One Unit Ford System-Bosch-Rushmore-RemyWestinghouse.

Delco Systems.—The various components of the Delco ignition system have been outlined in the preceding chapter on ignition. A wiring diagram of the 1914 Delco-Olds system is shown at the top of Fig. 168 for those with a sufficient knowledge of electricity to be able to trace the various wires. All of the units are shown in diagram form, but the operation of the system may be easily understood if this is studied in connection with the diagram at Fig. 169. The ignition system will draw its current either from a five-cell dry battery or from the storage battery. The function of the ignition relay has been previously described. It will be observed that this system operates, on the one wire method, all connections for return of current to the storage battery and the various units being made by the motor car frame. The broken lines indicate a ground connection, while the full lines designate wires. Considering the starting connections first, it will be apparent that one of the terminals of the storage battery is grounded to the frame, whereas the other is joined to one of the terminals of the starting switch. The other terminal of the starting switch is joined to the windings of the motor generator, which makes that device act as a motor to turn the engine crankshaft. The return from the motor windings to the storage battery is by means of a grounded return wire. With the switch in the position shown, the starting windings are not connected with the storage battery, but the generator windings are. One of the generator terminals is joined di

rectly to the frame. The other passes through the cutout relay and through the voltage regulator, both of which have been previously described. Six of the terminals on the distributor head, which are for ignition, are joined to the spark plugs. The remaining terminal, which is in the center of the group, is joined to the secondary terminal of the ignition coil. The circuit through the secondary is completed through a grounding wire, which is in electrical contact with the grounded bodies of the spark plugs. The insulated terminals of the spark plugs are joined to the six terminals on the distributor head. The primary winding of the ignition coil is joined to the circuit breaker through one terminal, this in turn passing through the dry battery to the ignition relay. The other terminal of the ignition coil is joined to the starting, lighting and ignition switch by a suitable conductor.

The arrangement of this switch is such that the current may be supplied directly to the head, side and tail lamps from the storage battery at all times that the switch circuit is closed. It is also possible to draw the ignition current either from the six-volt storage battery or from the battery of dry cells. The only time that the storage battery current flows through the starting motor windings is when the starting switch closes the circuit between the storage battery and the motor. At all other times the starting switch member is in such a position that the generator windings are in action and that the current from the armature is being passed into the storage battery.

Delco Motor Generator.-The motor generator which is located on the right side of the engine as at Fig. 170 is the principal part of the Delco System. This consists essentially of a dynamo with two field windings, and two windings on the armature with two commutators and corresponding sets of brushes, in order that the ignition apparatus incorporated in the forward end of the machine may work both as a starting motor, and as a generator for charging the battery and supplying the lights, horn and ignition. The ignition apparatus is incorporated in the forward end of the motor generator. This in no way affects the working of the generator, it being mounted in this manner simply as a convenient and accessible mounting.

The motor generator has three distinct functions to perform which are as follows: No. 1-Motoring the Generator. No. 2Cranking the Engine. No. 3-Generating Electrical Energy.

Motoring the Generator.-Motoring the generator is accomplished when the ignition button on the switch is pulled out. This allows current to come from the storage battery through the ammeter on the combination switch, causing it to show a discharge.

The first reading of the meter will be much more than the reading after the armature is turning freely. The current discharging through the ammeter during this operation is the current required to slowly revolve the armature and what is used for the ignition. The ignition current flows only when the contacts are closed, it being an intermittent current. The maximum ignition current is obtained when the circuit is first closed and the resistance unit on the rear The current at this time is approximately

end of the coil is cold.