15.12.
New Developments in Starter Systems
Many incremental developments have been introduced to the starter motor and its circuit. Two of the more recent and radical developments are the introduction of permanent magnet motors and the increase in torque through the use of gear reduction. Starters are now available with an expected service life of 50,000 reliable starts. This corresponds to over half a million kilometres run on the road. The technology involved in the starter motor is well advanced.
The problem associated with the starter motor is that it has to convert a very large amount of electrical energy to mechanical energy in a very short time. Motors with a several kilowatts rating are in common use. Because of the large conversion rate the efficiency of the motor is generally low. A large saving in battery power would be possible if the efficiency of the starter motor can be increased.
