California Career and Technical Education Standards

• T.C.C1.5 Use appropriate personal protective equipment and safety practices.
• T.C.C2.1 Understand and use appropriate tools and equipment, such as wrenches, sockets, a...
• T.C.C2.3 Select and use the appropriate measurement device(s) and use mathematical functi...
• T.C.C2.6 Know and understand how to access technical reports, manuals, electronic retriev...
• T.C.C2.7 Comprehend the importance of calibration processes, systems, and techniques usin...
• T.C.C4.3 Use reference books, technical service bulletins, and other documents and materi...
• T.C.C7.2 Maintain, diagnose, repair, and service batteries.
• T.C.C7.3 Understand how to maintain, diagnose, service and repair starting and charging s...

California Academic Content Standards (Reinforced)

• ELA.9-10.R.CAGT.2.5 Extend ideas presented in primary or secondary sources through original analysis...3
• ELA.9-10.R.CAGT.2.6 Demonstrate use of sophisticated learning tools by following technical direction...2

• Opener: Importance of good battery testing - Hooks / Set

  Materials needed:

  • Whiteboard:  Write the following:  "Load-testing the battery, starter, alternator using one machine"
  • One fully-charged battery
  • One low battery
  • One VAT-type load tester (we'll use the SUN VAT- for this lesson)

  Overview:

  This will be a short introductory session in which students are shown how a typical load tester works.  Then they see first-hand the results from testing a good battery, and results from a low battery.

  Details:

  Instructor:  In the classroom:  Start the session out with a discussion about the following:

  • Being stranded by a low battery
  • Misdiagnosis of a defective alternator vs. a low battery
  • Misdiagnosis of defective starter vs. a low battery

  This discussion usually sparks counter-discussions by students with similar experiences.  Limit sharing personal experience to four or five students, it could go on for a long time.

  Then move into the demonstration of the VAT.  NOTE:  This is the opener for your lesson, you won't be showing specific setting up and hookups, etc.  That's in the next part.  This opener is a quick show-and-tell to emphasize the importance of testing the battery.

  1)  Start by comparing the test you're doing to what repair technicians and parts counter persons do all the time.

  2)  Test the good battery, show the pass voltage.  Test the low battery, show the fail voltage.

  3)  Emphasize the following:

  • Importance of good understanding of this process to prevent mis-diagnosis and low customer satisfaction.
  • Safety aspects of this task including safety glasses, washed hands (battery acid).
  • Safety aspects pertaining to using this equipment:  LOAD knob always counter-clockwise unless testing, don't hold LOAD condition too long.
• Classroom: Instructor show-and-tell - Demo / Modeling

  Materials needed:

  • Student Worksheet :  Testing a Battery
  • One fully-charged battery
  • One low battery
  • One VAT-type load tester (we'll use the SUN VAT-40 for this lesson)

  Overview:

  Still in the classrom, you'll be demonstrating, now in detail, a battery load test using the VAT-40 load tester.  For the demonstration, you’ll be using the student Worksheet Testing a Battery as your guide.  You'll be showing the complete set-up process including all preparatory steps.  For this test, you'll be applying a specified amperes or ‘AMPS’ load on the batteries. You will hand out to the students the same worksheet mentioned above,  Testing a Battery .  They will be following your demonstration with this worksheet in front of them.

  For the demonstration, on the fully-charged battery, at the end of 15 seconds, the battery voltage should be at least 9.6 volts or higher.  The low battery will be much lower voltage, of course.

  Details:

  1. Hand out worksheet Testing a Battery.  
  2. Use the same worksheet as a guide for your lecture. 
  3. You won't have a vehicle in the classroom for some of the points.  You'll need to 'talk around' the vehicle set-up part of the worksheet.

  At this point, you'll start the demonstration.

  When you're doing a battery test with the battery in the vehicle, you'll go through some pre-check and set-up steps, listed below:

  1. On the vehicle being tested, turn off all switches, lights, accessories, make sure all doors are closed.
  2. Perform a battery visual inspection.  Check for cracks, corrosion, and other damage.
  3. Test battery ‘open circuit’ (no load) voltage.  If less than 12.4 volts charge the battery.
  4. Remove the battery negative cable.

  Next, you'll be setting up the tester itself, going through the following steps:  Emphasize the carbon pile and the need to keep the LOAD control knob fully counter-clockwise at all times except when testing.

  Tester set-up:

  1. Turn the tester large LOAD control knob fully counter-clockwise.
  2. Set TEST SELECTOR to the #1 STARTING SYSTEM position.
  3. Turn voltage selector switch to 18V.
  4. Use the Zero-Adjust control to adjust the AMPERES (ammeter) to read ZERO.
  5. Connect the large alligator clamp tester leads, red to battery positive, black to negative.
  6. Clamp the green inductive ammeter pickup around the negative tester lead.

  Next, you need to determine how much load to dial into the battery.  There are two methods to figure this:

  Method 1:  Battery CCA (Cold Cranking Amps:

  1. Look up the CCA rating on the side of the battery.
  2. Divide that number by 2.  Using this method, the load required for this test will be ______ amps.  (Depends on the battery you're using).

  Method 2:  Battery Amp-hour rating:

  1. Look up the Amp-hour rating on the side of the battery.
  2. Multiply that number by 3.  Using this method, the load required for this test will be ______ amps. (Again, depends on the battery you're using).

  Next you'll perform the actual battery test. Again, for comparison, you'll be using two batteries, one fully charged, and one low battery.
  
  Perform battery test:

  1. Turn the large LOAD control knob slowly clockwise until the ammeter needle reaches the capacity test load you determined in your calculation above.
  2. At the end of 15 seconds, the VOLTS needle should remain above 9.6 volts.
  3. Your battery test voltage:  ______ volts.

  Based upon results from the above test:  Ask the class for their opinion:  Within spec?

  NOTE:  For every 10 degrees below 70 degrees, the voltage may be 0.1 volts less than 9.6 volts.

  • Worksheet: Testing a Battery [ Download ] Worksheet used by students for instructor demonstration
• Lab: Starter test - Demo / Modeling

  Overview:

  During the next hour, you'll be demonstrating the use of the VAT on a vehicle to test the starting and charging systems.  The suggestion here is to split your class:

  • Half will accompany you to the lab where you'll use a lab vehicle to demonstrate load testing of starting and charging systems.
  • The other half will remain in the classroom where they'll write essay-style answers for ASE-prep  questions pertaining to testing of battery, starter, and charging system.  Give them questions out of your classroom textbook.
  • After your lab demonstration  with the first group, you'll rotate the groups and take the second group out to demo the same thing.  The first group will rotate back into the classroom to complete the same questions on battery, starting and charging system testing.

  For your lab demo, on a shop vehicle, you'll be be cranking the engine over with the ignition system disconnected.  While cranking, the starter should not draw more than a specified amount of amps.  Excessive amps during this test could mean starter internal drag or starter circuit resistance.

  Materials needed:

  Classroom group of students:

  • Whiteboard: Write the questions for the classroom student assignment on the board.
  • The assignment should be a group of  questions pertaining to testing of battery, starter, and charging system.  ( from your classroom textbook)  Choose enough questions to take them 30 minutes, enough time for you to complete the demonstration.  The questions should require the students to respond with written answers.

  Lab group of students:

  Materials needed:

  • Student Worksheet:  Testing a Starter
  • One vehicle with all systems working
  • VAT tester (Volt-Amp Tester)
  • Instructions for that tester if needed

  Details:

  1. Take half the class out to the lab with you.
  2. Hand out worksheet Testing a Starter.
  3. Use the same worksheet as a guide for your lab demonstration.

  Pre-checks/set-up on your demo vehicle:

  Under your supervision, have select students perform the steps below.

  1. Turn off all switches, lights, accessories, make sure all doors are closed.
  2. Make sure the battery is in good condition.  Perform a visual inspection.  Check for cracks, corrosion, other damage.
  3. Test battery ‘open circuit’ voltage.  If less than 12.4 volts charge the battery.
  4. Disable the vehicle ignition system.  If in doubt, refer to the vehicle wiring diagram for the correct ignition system wire to disconnect.

  Tester set-up on demo vehicle:

  1. Turn the large LOAD control knob fully counter-clockwise.
  2. Set TEST SELECTOR to the #1 STARTING SYSTEM.
  3. Turn voltage selector switch to 18V.
  4. Use the Zero-Adjust control to adjust the AMPERES ammeter to read ZERO.
  5. Connect the large alligator clamp tester leads, red to battery positive, black to negative.
  6. Clamp the green inductive ammeter pickup around the negative vehicle battery cable.

  Perform starter test:

  1. Crank the engine over for about 5 seconds.
  2. Read the ammeter.  The amperage draw should be approximately the following:   V-8 about 200 amps.  Six cylinder about 150 amps.  Four cylinder abut 125 amps.

  Your reading:  _______  Within spec?  ________

  Based upon results from the above test:  Ask the class for their opinion:  Within spec?

  • Worksheet: Testing a Starter [ Download ] Worksheet used by students in the lab.
• Lab: Charging System Test - Demo / Modeling

  Task overview:

  Charging system load test:  Using the same lab vehicle and VAT tester you used for the starting system test, you'll now be demonstrating the charging system test.

  With the vehicle engine running at about 2,000 RPM, you’ll be applying an AMPS load on the alternator to obtain the highest AMPS reading possible without causing the battery voltage to drop lower than 12 volts.  A low amperage output reading could mean the alternator or regulator may need replacing.  For this test, you’ll continue use of the VAT machine.

  Materials needed:

  • Student Worksheet :  Testing a Charging System
  • One lab vehicle with all systems working
  • VAT machine
  • Instructions for that tester if needed

  Details:
  
  Pre-checks/set-up on the lab vehicle :

  Under your supervision, have select students perform the steps below.

  1. Turn off all switches, lights, accessories, make sure all doors are closed.
  2. Perform a visual inspection on the battery and cable connections.
  3. Check for cracks, corrosion, other damage to the battery.
  4. Write down the alternator output rating specification for the vehicle you’re working on:  ______ amps.

  NOTE:  For the spec needed above (step 4), choose two students to look it up on-line or refer to the vehicle service manual for reference.

  Tester set-up:

  1. Turn the tester large LOAD control knob fully counter-clockwise.
  2. Turn TEST SELECTOR to #2 CHARGING.
  3. Turn VOLT selector switch to INT.
  4. Use the Zero-Adjust control to adjust the AMPERES (ammeter) to read ZERO.
  5. Connect the large alligator clamp tester leads, red to battery positive, black to negative.
  6. Clamp the green inductive ammeter pickup around the negative vehicle battery cable.

  Set-up:  Vehicle running amps test:

  1. Turn the ignition switch to ON, don’t start the vehicle.
  2. Read the amount of discharge on the ammeter.  This reading is the vehicle ‘running amps’, or the current the alternator must supply to the vehicle before charging the battery.
  3. Write down the above ' running amps' reading.  It's usually around 6 amps.

  Perform charging system test:

  1. With the engine running at around 2,000 RPM, turn the large LOAD control knob slowly clockwise to obtain the highest ammeter reading without causing the voltage to drop lower than 12 volts.
  2. Write down this reading:  _______  Now add the running amps reading you wrote down above.
  3. Write down your final reading:  _______

  This reading should be within 10% of the alternator’s rated output.
  
  Based upon results from the above test:  Ask the class for their opinion:  Within spec?

  • Worksheet: Testing a Charging System [ Download ] Worksheet used by students in the lab.
• Wrap-up: What have we learned? - Closure

  Materials needed:

  • PowerPoint presentation:  Volt Ampere tester
  • Student Worksheet :  Testing a Battery
  • Student Worksheet :  Testing a Starter
  • Student Worksheet :  Testing a Charging system

  During this wrap-up session, you'll be using the PowerPoint slides with leading questions on the slides.  Students will view the slides and provide answers for the blank information on the slides.
  
  Questions:  (Call students out vs. asking for hands)

  Instructor:  "Any questions on what we've covered?"

  Battery -- starter-- charging system testing:  What's next?

  Instructor:  "In the next few days we'll continue discussion on vehicle electrical systems  which will support the all-important ASE-Electrical certification process."

  • Worksheet: Testing a Battery [ Download ] Worksheet used by students for review.
  • Worksheet: Testing a Starter [ Download ] Worksheet used by the students for review.
  • Worksheet: Testing a Charging system [ Download ] Worksheet used by the students for review.
  • VAT tester [ Download ] PowerPoint presentation used by instructor for lesson review.