What an Automotive Electrical Diagram Means
Other People Are Reading
-
How Automotive Electrical Diagrams Are Used
-
An automotive electrical diagram is a schematic drawing that shows how the electrical devices in an automobile are connected to the automotive electrical system. It shows the path that an electrical current would take when powering on a device in the car.
The Automobile Electrical System
-
The automobile electrical system is made up of various devices that serve several functions. The battery is the primary power storage medium and is connected directly or indirectly to all components requiring power in the automobile electrical circuit. The headlamps, parking lamps, stop and turn signals and indicator lights are all connected to the electrical system by means of switches, which are in turn connected to the battery. No matter what the function, each electrical device is listed on the automotive electrical diagram.
-
Symbols Used in an Electrical Diagram
-
Each device connected to the electrical system has a symbol associated with the component. For older vehicles, the symbol on the automotive electrical diagram is drawn to resemble the physical shape and relative size of the electrical component that the symbol is representing. For example, a symbol for a headlamp is drawn to look like a headlamp that can be found at an auto parts store. However, for newer vehicles, the symbols used are ANSI-standard electrical graphic symbols. (ANSI is the American National Standards Institute.)
Power Distribution
-
At a minimum, each device is connected to one positive terminal and one negative terminal coming from a power-generating or power-storage device. Each electrical connection is shown as a line from the device to its power source. In the case of a complex device, such as an alternator, generator, or distributor, several lines/electrical connections may be shown. This is because either the device is used as a power source or because it is a power distribution point to several other devices.
Electrical Connections to Ground
-
An automotive electrical diagram may appear to have several devices that are connected to something that looks like a triangle. These devices also appear to have no "negative terminal" connection, such as to the negative terminal on a battery. The triangle signifies that the device is connected to an electrical "ground." An electrical ground serves as the reference point of "zero volts" in an electrical circuit utilizing an electrical ground. Therefore, the power will flow from the positive connection, through the device, and will go to the electrical ground as the negative electrical connection.
-
