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Starter Amp Draws

RRRAAAYYY2

Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 10, 2004
Messages
1,684
Loc.
Brantford, Ontario
Well I was cleaning up my home office I came across some test sheets for a PMGR Ford starter. They were from one of my suppliers, who also has/had contracts with Ford. So not cheap junk. I thought I would continue the discussion that I had in the thread a few months ago, with an actual tag results.
So here are some results for a 1.4KW Ford PMGR starter, typical of a 1990's era Ford vehicle.

Test Results:
Max. Power: 1.52kw (approx 1.13hp)
Max. Torq: 17Nm (approx 12.54ftlbs)
Now both of those get modified going through the gearing between the starter and flywheel. The ratio for this starter is 16.4 to 1

Max. Amp Draw: 526amps

Solenoid Pull Current: 45.2 amps
Solenoid Hold Current: 16.2
Voltage Drop: 0.33volts

Solenoids have two coils. One to pull the plunger in, and then one ot hold it in. So when you first turn the key, the solenoid would require 45amps for a split second, and then 16 amps for however long you held the key on. The voltage drop is reference to how much voltage is lost through the posts going from the battery cable to the post going inside the starter.

Side Note: This is one of the reason why using mag switches (solenoids) on dual battery setups is not a good idea. It is an added draw on the system, at all times. Plus you will always get some voltage drop going through the posts.

Starter Current at 1500rpm: 308amps (390amps would be a fail)
Starter Current at 750rpm: 523amps (600amps would be a fail)

Free Run Test: Current 53amps (75amps would be fail)
Free Run Test: Speed 3666rpm (over 5300rpm would be fail)

Also had one for a GM PMGR PG260 1.7kw starter.

Max Power: 1.74KW
Max torqw: 21 Nm
Max Amp: 508amps (= more efficent than the above starter, 526 amps to produce 1.5kw vs. 508amps to produce 1.7kw)
Solenoid Pull Current: 37.5amps
Solenoid Hold Current: 9.9amps
Current at 1500rpm: 285amps (350amps fail)
Current at 750rpm: 508amps (620amps fail)

The test sheet for the Delco was on a second tier Delco supplier starter.

Hope this is useful for some people.
 
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