Motor Principle - Commutator

Motor Principle - Commutator Action

Typical Starter Motor Construction
Solenoid Operated Starter

Solenoid

Armature

Metal housing

Shift lever

Field coils

Drive pinion

Brushes

Commutator
The Armature
Field Coils

Carbon brush

Coils

Supply terminal
Typical Solenoid Construction
Solenoid connects battery to starter motor.

Mounted separately on early vehicles.

Field Windings.

Solenoid plunger.

Moving contacts.

Heavy duty terminals.

Typical Solenoid Construction
Mounted on starter motor
on modern vehicles.
Winding 1
Fitted with shift lever to
pre-engage starter
motor pinion gear with
Shift level
flywheel ring gear.
Winding 2 Low
Usually contains Starter
winding
two field windings. motor
High
Low winding winding
connects to ground. From ignition
switch

High winding connects To starter

to the starter motor. From battery motor
Heavy duty contacts
Typical Starter Motor Operation
Low winding High winding 12V from
Ignition switch set to Plunger ignition
start, current flows
switch
through both windings.

Shift lever
As starter motor is
connected to high
winding, it slowly
begins to turn.

Current flow produces

magnetic field, which
moves plunger, shift
lever and pinion. Pinion Armature Field coils
Typical Starter Motor Operation
Low winding Ignition switch set to run
Lever movement causes slow
moving pinion gear to engage Plunger Battery
voltage
with flywheel ring gear.
Heavy
At full lever duty
travel, heavy duty terminals
Shift lever
contacts close,
Pinion
battery voltage is
applied to starter
motor, which
turns at full
speed.
Once gears are
meshed, low winding keeps
solenoid plunger in position.
Armature
Shift lever and solenoid plunger return to rest Field coils
position when ignition switch is set to run.