Car starter motor types
What is a starter motor? A starter motor is a device used to rotate (crank) an internal combustion engine to initiate its operation under its own power. Starters can be electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic, but an electric motor forms the basis of the starter motor.
When the starter switch turns on to the starting position, the starter relay turns on the electric motor. This motor drives the ring gear via the pinion gear.
The rotating movement of the starter motor is created through the interaction of two magnetic fields. Starter motors come with permanent magnets or with electromagnets. Each of these configurations has its specific characteristics.
There are so many types of starter motor were known for all purposes. But, this post will give information about types of starter motor were used in the most modern car. Here they are the types of starter motor.
1. Direct Drive Starter Motor Type
The first type of starter motor is Direct Drive. Direct Drive Starter Motor Type is known as a conventional starter motor. It is the most used and simple starter motor construction compared to the two others. This type of starter motor drives the pinion gear directly from the armature.
So, when the armature starts to rotate, the pinion gear also rotates at the same speed. Yes, the pinion gear turns at the same speed as the armature shaft, so there are no differences between the shaft speed rotation and the pinion gears rotation. The pinion gear itself rotates in a 1:1 ratio with the armature shaft.
These starter motor constructions are simple and typically cheaper. Still, they are heavier and draw more currents than the planetary gear or gear reduction starter motor type.
2. Planetary Gear Starter Motor Type
The next type of starter motor commonly used in a car starting system is the Planetary Gear starter motor type. The planetary gear starter motor uses a planetary gear device composed of the sun gear (used the armature shaft as a sun gear) and three planetary gears fitted inside internal gear (called the carrier).
The internal gear (carrier) is connected to the over-running clutch and pinion gear. The planetary gear device fits between the armature and the pinion gear. This planetary gear device allows the starter motor to operate at a higher speed than a conventional starter motor.
This starter motor type commonly uses a permanent interpolar magnet to reach a compact, lighter-weight starter motor with greater output torque.
Read also:3. Reduction Gear Starter Motor Type
The last type of starter motor used in an automobile is a reduction gear starter motor. This type of starter motor has a compact, high-speed motor and a set of reduction gears. While the motor is smaller and weighs less than conventional starting motors, it operates at a higher speed.
The reduction gears transfer this torque to the pinion gear at 1/4 to 1/3 the motor speed. The pinion gear still rotates faster than the gear on a conventional starter and with much greater torque (cranking power).
The reduction gear starter is the replacement starter for most conventional starters. The reduction gear is mounted on the same shaft as the pinion gear. Unlike the conventional starter, the magnetic switch plunger acts directly on the pinion gear (not through a drive lever) to push the gear into mesh with the ring gear.