General description and operation of the system (Chevrolet Captiva 1)

Battery

All cars have standard sealed batteries. There are no ventilation plugs in the cover. The battery is completely sealed, except for two small ventilation holes on the sides. These ventilation holes are used to remove battery gases. The battery has the following advantages over conventional batteries:

• During the entire service life, water is not added.
• Overcharge protection. If too much voltage is supplied, the battery will accept less current than a normal battery. In a normal battery, excessive voltage will cause it to boil and lose liquid.
• The battery is not as prone to self-discharge as a regular battery. This is especially important when the battery is idle for a long time.
• More capacity in a lighter, smaller package.

The battery performs three main functions in the electrical system. First, the battery is the source of energy for starting the engine. Then, the battery acts as a voltage stabilizer for the electrical system. And in addition, for a limited time, the battery provides energy if the generator's performance becomes insufficient.

Nominal parameters

A battery has two ratings: (1) reserve capacity at 27°C (80°F), which is the time it takes for a fully charged battery to deliver 25A of current at a voltage above 10.5V; (2) Cold cranking current determined at -18°C (0°F), which determines the cold cranking capacity.

Reserve capacity

Reserve capacity is the maximum time for overnight travel with minimum electrical load and no generator output. Expressed in minutes, reserve capacity (or RC parameter) - is the time required for a fully charged battery to reach a terminal voltage of 10.5 V at 27°C (80°F) and when discharged at 25 A.

Cold cranking current

The cold cranking current test is expressed at a battery temperature of -18°C (0°F). The current rating is the minimum current that the battery must deliver for 30 seconds at a given temperature, while meeting the minimum voltage requirement of 7.2 V. This rating is a measurement of cold cranking power.

The battery is not designed to last forever. However, if properly maintained, the battery will last for many years.

If the battery passes the test, but does not function well for unknown reasons, then the following factors may be the cause:

• Additional devices in the car are not turned off at night.
• The vehicle is operated at slow average speeds for short periods of time.
• The electrical load is greater than the generator output, especially due to additional equipment.
• Charging system faults such as short circuits, slipping alternator belt, faulty alternator or faulty voltage regulator.
• Improper maintenance, including dirty or loose terminals or a loose battery clamp.
• Mechanical problems in the electrical system, such as shorted or pinched wires.

Built-in hydrometer

The sealed battery has a built-in, temperature-compensated hydrometer on top of the battery. The hydrometer is used for the following diagnostic procedure:



1. When inspecting the battery, make sure it has a clean top.

2. In normal operation, two indicators are visible:

• VISIBLE GREEN DOT - Any green color is interpreted as a "green dot", meaning the battery is ready to be tested.
• DARK GREEN DOT NOT VISIBLE - If there are problems with starting, the battery needs to be checked. At the same time, the charging system and electrical system need to be checked.

3. Sometimes other indications are visible:

• CLEAR OR LIGHT YELLOW - This means the fluid level is below the hydrometer. This may be due to overcharging, overcharging, a broken case, excessive tipping, or normal wear of the battery. A battery in this condition indicates overcharging due to a faulty charging system. Therefore, if you are having difficulty starting, you should check both the charging system and the electrical system. If the battery is causing the starting problems, replace it.

Charging procedure

1. Batteries with a green dot do not need charging unless they have just been discharged (as, for example, when starting the engine).

2. When charging a removed battery with sealed terminals, install an adapter. Make sure all charging contacts are clean and tight. Best results are achieved when the electrolyte and plates are at room temperature. An extremely cold battery may not accept charging current for several hours.

3. Charge the battery until the green dot appears. Check the battery every half hour while charging. You may need to tilt or shake the battery to make the green dot appear.



4. After charging, the battery must undergo a load test. Follow the step "Starter" in this section.

Required charging time

The time it takes to charge a battery depends on the following factors:

• Battery size - A completely discharged battery operating under heavy load may take twice as long to charge as a battery in a light passenger vehicle.
• Temperature - Temperature - At -18°C (0°F) any battery will take longer to charge than at 27°C (80°F). When fast charging a cold battery, the current drawn will be very low at first. The battery will only draw higher current after it warms up.
• Charger performance - A charger with 5A of charging current will take longer than a charger with 30A or more.
• Charging level - A completely discharged battery takes twice as long to charge as a half-discharged battery. Since the electrolyte is almost pure water, it is a poor conductor in a completely discharged battery, and therefore the charging current consumed will initially be very low. Later, as more acid is produced by the charging process, the charging current will increase.

Charging a completely discharged battery

If you do not follow these instructions, you can damage a perfectly good battery. The following procedure is used to charge a completely discharged battery:

1. Measure the voltage at the battery terminals with an accurate voltmeter. If the reading is below 10 volts, the charging current is very low and it will take some time for the battery to accept more than a few milliamps of current. See "Required charging time" in this section, where the main focus is on those factors that affect both the required charging time and the approximate calculated figures in the table below. Such low currents are not read by all ammeters.



2. Set the charger to high level.

Important: Some chargers have reverse polarity protection that prevents the battery terminals from being connected incorrectly. A completely discharged battery may not have enough voltage to activate the protection circuit, even if the cable is connected correctly. This may be caused by the battery not drawing charging current. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to bypass the protection circuit to turn on the charger and charge a battery with a low voltage.

3. Continue charging until the charging current can be measured. Chargers vary in voltage and current. The time it takes for the battery to accept a measurable charging current at different voltages may be as follows:

1. Continue charging until the charging current can be measured. Chargers vary in voltage and current. The time it takes for the battery to accept a measurable charging current at different voltages may be as follows:

Voltage	Watch
16.0 or more	Up to 4 hours
14.0-15.9	Up to 8 hours
13.9 or less	Until 16:00

• If the charging current cannot be measured before the end of the specified charging time, replace the battery.
• If the charging current is measured within the specified time, the battery is OK and charging should be continued as normal.

Important: It is important to remember that a completely discharged battery must be charged to a sufficient number of ampere-hours (A/h) to restore it to an acceptable condition. In general, it is enough to charge to the reserve capacity (RC) parameters so that a green dot appears on the hydrometer.

• If the charging current cannot be measured using the charging time calculated in the above method, replace the battery.

Procedure for starting the engine from an external power source

1. Put the car in good condition (charged) battery so that the length of the connecting cables is sufficient.

2. Turn off the ignition, all headlights and all electrical loads in both vehicles. Turn on the hazard warning lights if the traffic situation requires it, as well as the work area lighting.

3. Apply the parking brakes on both vehicles.

Note: To avoid damage, route cables away from pulleys, fans, and other parts that move when the vehicle is started.

4. Set the automatic transmission with the final drive assembly to PARK, and the manual transmission to NEUTRAL.

1. Set the automatic transmission with the final drive assembly to PARK, and the manual transmission to NEUTRAL.

Warning: To avoid accidents, do not use cables with damaged or missing insulation.

5. Connect one end of the cable to the positive terminal of the battery. Make sure it does not touch any other metal parts. Connect the other end of the cable to the positive terminal of the other battery. Do not connect the other end to the negative terminal of the dead battery.

1. Connect one end of the cable to the positive terminal of the battery. Make sure it does not touch any other metal parts. Connect the other end of the cable to the positive terminal of the other battery. Do not connect the other end to the negative terminal of the dead battery.

Warning! To avoid injury, do not connect the cable directly to the negative terminal of a discharged battery. This may cause sparks and the battery to explode.

6. Connect one end of the second cable to the negative terminal of the starting battery. Make the final connection to the engine ground (e.g. to a support bracket) at least 450 mm (18 inches) from the discharged battery.

1. Connect one end of the second cable to the negative terminal of the starting battery. Make the final connection to the engine ground (e.g. to a support bracket) at least 450 mm (18 inches) from the discharged battery.

2. Start the engine on the car with the good battery. Let the engine run for a few minutes at medium speed. Then start the engine on the car with the discharged battery.

3. Remove the cables in exactly the reverse order. First remove the negative cable from the car with the dead battery. As you remove each clamp, make sure it does not touch other metal parts while the other end remains attached.

Generator

The vehicle's charging system type is KDAC AD237. The number indicates the outer diameter in millimeters of the stator core plates.

AD type generators have internal regulators. The Delta stator, bridge rectifier, and rotor with slip rings and brushes have a similar electrical circuit to the previous generators. A conventional pulley and fan are used. There is no inspection hole.

Unlike three-wire alternators, the AD 237 models can only be used with two connections: Terminals "L" and "F" are connected to the Engine Management System (EMS) controller.

As with other charging systems, the charge indicator lamp is controlled by the ECM when the ignition switch is in the on position, and goes out when the engine is running. If the charge indicator lamp comes on while the engine is running, this indicates a fault in the charging system.

The indicator lamp lights up brightly in case of different types of faults, as well as when the system voltage is too high or too low.

The regulator voltage setting changes with temperature and limits the voltage in the system by controlling the rotor current.

Charging system

The AD type generators use a new type of regulator with three diodes. The Delta stator, bridge rectifier, and rotor with slip rings and brushes have a similar electrical circuit to the previous generators. A conventional pulley and fan are used. There is no inspection hole.

Starter

Coil starter motors have pole pads around the armature that are excited by coils.

Rotary motors with enclosed starting levers have the starting mechanism and moving coil in the drive housing, which protects them from dirt, frost and splashes.

In the main circuit, the electromagnetic relay windings are excited when the switch is closed. The movement of the moving coil and the starting lever causes the gear to enter the engine flywheel. The main contacts of the electromagnetic relay are closed. The engine starts.

After the engine starts, the pinion overrunning clutch protects the anchor from overspeed until the switch is turned off, when the return spring forces the pinion back. To avoid excessive overrun, the switch should be turned off immediately after the engine starts.

Engine starting system

The engine electrical system includes the battery, ignition, starter, generator and all associated wiring. Diagnostic charts will help you find and fix faults.

If the fault is specific to a specific component, refer to the service manual section for that component. The starting system includes the battery, starter, ignition switch, and all associated wiring. All of these components are electrically connected.

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