Project - Analysis of a practical automotive wiring circuit

1. Identify each of the major elements in the above automotive wiring diagram. 

Major Elements in the above automotive wiring diagram are -

Genarator                  

Battery                  

Ignition coil

Ammeter

Foot selector switch   

Breaker

Fuse                           

Current and voltage regulator 

2. Explain the purpose and working of any three elements briefly.

Ans: I. Battery -

Batteries are small essential components to operate devices. It is one of the key components in daily life. A battery is a device that stores chemical energy and converts it to electrical energy. The chemical reactions in a battery involve the flow of electrons from one material  (electrode) to another, through an external circuit. 

II. Fuse -

Fuse breaks the circuit if a fault in an appliance causes too much current to flow. This protects the wiring and the appliance if something goes wrong. The fuses work on the principle of the heating effect of the current. It’s made up of thin strip or strand of metallic wire with noncombustible material. This is connected between the ends of the terminals. Fuse is always connected in series with the electrical circuit.

III. Breaker -

A circuit breaker is an electrical safety device designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by an overcurrent or short circuit. Its basic function is to interrupt current flow to protect equipment and to prevent the risk of fire.

3. If the total load is 10A from battery, what should be the fuse rating?

In general, the fuse rating should be slightly higher than the expected maximum current, but not so high that it won't provide adequate protection in the event of a short circuit or other overcurrent situation.

One commonly used rule of thumb is to choose a fuse with a rating of 1.5 times the expected maximum current. In this case, the expected maximum current is 10A, so a suitable fuse rating would be:

Fuse rating = 1.5 x 10A = 15A

Therefore, a 15A fuse would be appropriate for protecting the 10A load from overcurrent situations while also allowing for normal operation.

4. Identify any two elements which are connected in series. Why they are connected in series?

Ans: Starter is connected in series line because continuous current flows through it.

Ammeter is connected in series, it is a device which measures the amount of current flowing in a circuit. It is a very low resistance device.

5. Identify any two elements which are connected parallel to each other. Why they are connected in parallel?

Ans: Every light is connected in a parallel combination. The individual currents add up to the total current.

Generator is connected with current voltage and regulater in parallel combination.

6. If 500W is the load, what is the voltage and capacity of battery you recommend?

Ans: Given data -

I = 10A

P = 500W

we know -

V = P/I = 500/10 = 50V

C = I*T =10*1 = 10Ah

Voltage and Capacity for this battery should be 50V and 10Ah.