Final Exam Review - Automotive Electrical Systems

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering automotive electrical fundamentals, battery testing and service procedures, relay terminals, wire sizing, and electromagnetism principles from the Final Exam Review notes.

Circuit amperage

The electrical factor that plays a role in determining wire gauge.

Current flow increase

A condition in a circuit that causes consumed power to increase as well.

Heavy load battery test maximum duration

$15\,\text{seconds}$, which is the recommended maximum duration for the test.

Kirchhoff's 2nd law

A law stating that adding up all voltage drops in a closed series circuit should equal the source voltage.

Terminal 3 (30)

The terminal considered to be the common terminal of a standard SAE 5-pin relay.

Soft iron

The core material used inside an electromagnet.

Battery test load

A test that determines how well a battery functions under a dynamic load.

Distilled water

The liquid used to top up a low cell level in a lead-acid battery.

Amperage load test setting for a 500-CCA battery

$250\,\text{amps}$.

Cold Cranking Amps (CCA)

The primary rating method used for lead-acid batteries, which must also be inputted when evaluating battery performance using a Midtronics-type capacitance tester.

Baking soda & water

A solution that neutralizes and cleans corrosion from battery posts and terminals.

Magnetic pole interaction (North to North)

The reaction where two magnets repel each other if brought together by both north poles.

Dead short on a starting circuit

A circuit fault condition that causes current flow to increase.

Lower than specified ohms (5-pin relay)

An electrical resistance reading that signifies an internal short on a 5-pin relay.

Counter Electro-Motive Force (CEMF)

An opposing force that resists the flow of DC into a coil.

Wire size scale (AWG)

A reversed numbering convention where the lower the number, the bigger the wire (e.g., $4 > 16\,\text{awg}$).

Magnetic switch

A device commonly used to open and close electrical circuits.

Surface charge removal procedure

The process of cranking the engine for $15\,\text{seconds}$ and waiting $15\,\text{minutes}$ to remove the surface charge from a recently charged lead-acid battery.

Lead-acid battery electrolyte composition

A mixture containing $36\%$ sulfuric acid and $64\%$ distilled water.

Fully charged lead-acid battery specific gravity

A specific gravity reading of $1.265$ at $80^\circ\text{F}$.