VEHICLE ALTERNATOR HEALTH AND OUTPUT CHECK

I.

Topic/Grade Level: Vehicle alternator health and output check, 9-12.

II.

Standard: Alabama Department of Education; Career Technical Education (2009); Grades 912; Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics; Automotive Electrical and Electronic Systems
I:
Demonstrate personal and environmental safety practices associated with clothing, eye
protection, hand tools, power equipment, and proper ventilation related to automotive electrical
and electronic system operation and maintenance.
Diagnose electrical and electronic system problems.
Identify electrical and electronic system concerns.
Demonstrate battery state-of-charge tests, including inspecting and cleaning battery cables,
connectors, clamps, and hold-downs.
Explain charging system component operations and repair.

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III.

Goals and Student Learning Outcomes (Objectives):

Goal 1: Students will identify the proper range setting on the voltmeter to obtain an accurate
voltage measurement.
Student Learning Outcome: Students will be able to apply the correct settings for voltage
measurement.
Goal 2: Students will apply procedural knowledge in order to diagnose alternator voltage output.
Student Learning Outcome: Student will recall the procedural steps leading to voltage data
collection using a voltmeter.
Goal 3: Students will describe the operational characteristics (normal operating range and
limitations) of the vehicle charging system.
Student Learning Outcome 1: Students will explain the electrical charging system.
Student Learning Outcome 2: Students will explain the variables affecting alternator
operation.
Goal 4: Students will summarize deficiencies of a vehicle charging system.
Student Learning Outcome: Students will classify the abnormal alternator voltage data in
order to determine a proper course of action for repair.
IV.

Learning Environment(s):
Blended Learning Face to Face/Hands on/Interactive Multi-Media instruction.

V.

Resources:

Wi-Fi Internet connectivity.

SMART Technologies interactive white board.
Notebook computer with Windows 10 OS and Microsoft Office including installed.
The instructors notebook is available in the classroom for instructor use.

VI.

Diversity / Differentiation:

VII.

Voltmeter.
AA batteries (x2).
BYOD Smart phone or tablet computer (mobile device with Android or iOS). School
will provide mobile device if students device is not compatible or available.
Fully operational automobile (x9).
Automotive work bay (x10).
Personal protective equipment (PPE) for each student and instructor.

Students with auditory issues will be addressed by closed captioning of all video
lesson material.
Students with mobility issues have been addressed through compliance with federally
mandated classroom accessibility standards. If there are any deficiencies found,
training installation managers will be immediately contacted to resolve the
accessibility issue.

Technology Inclusion:
Classroom / Collaborative instructional technology:

SMART Technologies white board: Utilized by the instructor to illustrate lesson

material.
Microsoft PowerPoint: Used for lesson presentation.
Camtasia Studio 8: Used by the instructor to create screen cast video of the proper
usage of the voltmeter to obtain alternator voltage output.
Android/iOS automotive reference app: Used by students as an electronic procedural
text and visual aid with three-dimensional component visualization. App will also
used as a reference for future lessons.

Assessment technology:

Student mobile devices will be connected wirelessly to the network in order to

facilitate real-time check on learning student answers presented during lesson.
A hands on performance test will be administered at the end of the lesson.
The student will also be evaluated on safety measures used during the alternator
diagnostic procedure.

VIII. Prior Knowledge:

Familiarity with automotive terminology.

Understanding of equipment used for automotive repair.
A general knowledge of shop safety procedures and policies.

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Lesson Placement in the Unit: This is lesson 3 of 10.
IX.

Procedures:
1. Lesson Introduction / Anticipatory Set:
The instructor will introduce the lesson by briefing the students on the safety procedures
used throughout the lesson:

Shop emergency exits.

Shop fire extinguishers.
Student movement when vehicle engines are running.
Student injury immediate action steps.

After the safety briefing, the instructor will outline the lesson material to be covered in
class. The instructor will then distribute the voltage meters and PPE to each student and
ensure that the automotive repair app is installed for the lesson.
2. Direct Instruction:

Shop is set up with nine student work bays and a Technologies interactive white board
(located in empty work bay 10), creating a cooperative learning environment based on
small group instruction.
Students will be given a vehicle with which they will learn safety procedures,
inspection requirements, and troubleshooting techniques.
Students will perform an alternator voltage measurement practical exercise at the
conclusion of the safety and instructional brief.

3. Student Interaction with lesson content / Guided Practice:

Students will watch a introductory video on shop safety procedures, which will be
followed by another video showing the engine electrical components and their functions.
An interactive three-dimensional digital model of the vehicle engine will be accessed on
the students mobile device using the automotive reference app in order to follow along
during instructor demonstrations.
After learning the components and operation of the vehicle electrical system, students will
perform a hands on practical exercise that will utilize the information taught during the
lesson. During this exercise, the student will use the following steps to initially set up the
voltmeter for alternator voltage measurements (refer the student to the either the
presentation or the automotive repair app for component names and/or location):
Voltmeter and vehicle initial setup:
Open the vehicle hood to gain access to the alternator and battery
(reference the automotive repair app and use the 3D component location
feature to understand the location of electrical components).

Check alternator belt (reference automotive repair app for belt location
and deflection tolerance).
Initially, preset the voltmeter to the 20-volt setting.
After observing shop safety requirements, ensure that the vehicle is in park
and the parking break is set (reference the automotive repair app for
vehicle operator interface locations).
After clearing with the instructor, start the vehicle engine.
Using the automotive repair app follow the procedures for measuring the
alternator voltage output.
Test the alternator voltage output via the alternate method (battery
terminals) using the secondary alternator procedure illustrated in the
automotive repair app.

Alternator voltage measurement data interpretation.

Normal alternator voltage range should be between 13-14 volts.
If voltage is lower that normal range use the troubleshooting feature in the
automotive repair app to determine a course of action.
Continue data gathering of alternator voltage output under different load
conditions in order to determine alternator health (use automotive repair
app to reference the various voltage readings and their meanings).
4. Independent Practice:
Working in teams of two, students will practice safe shop procedures, measuring
equipment setup, data gathering, data interpretation, recommended troubleshooting
procedures for finding the source of a fault.
5. Review / Closure:
30 minutes prior to class dismissal, the instructor will summarize the lesson material and
perform a check on learning via a series of questions posed to the class on lesson
material.
X.

Evaluation/Assessment:
The assessment activities for this lesson are integrated into the presentation through three
check on learning question sessions strategically chunked to limit cognitive overload. Each
check on learning will help the instructor assess student understanding of the lesson material
prior to continuing onto the next learning objective. By the end of the lesson and assessment
process students will have demonstrated their practical knowledge of the lesson material and
correct performance of the steps necessary to safely use the vehicle and voltage measuring
equipment.
Assessment:

XI.

The final assessment for this module will be a hands on performance test (instructor
facilitated).
The student will also be assessed on safety procedures and vehicle electrical system
knowledge orally during the alternator voltage measurement performance test. During
the test the student will demonstrate the initial setup of the voltmeter and voltage
measuring procedures to the instructor.
Risk Analysis:
1. Lost, stolen, or broken mobile device.
Resolution: Since the BYOD computers are student property; an immediate report will be
made to school administrators. A replacement school issued mobile device will be used
until the disposition of a missing or broken student owned device. If there is not enough
school owned devices available, have students partner with another student to share
device resources.
2. Inoperable vehicle: Have student move to another unused vehicle if available or partner
with outer student teams with operable vehicles. Annotate the inoperative vehicle for
repair.
3. Projector bulb inoperable: Have replacement bulb ready in the school audiovisual supply
room. If replacement bulb not immediately available, use the instructors laptop screen
for instruction until a new bulb is obtained.

XII.

References:

Alabama Department of Education. (2010). Alabama College & Career-Ready Standards (CCRS).
Montgomery, AL: Alabama State Printing Office.
SMART Technologies. (2015). SMART solutions in special education. Retrieved from
http://smarttech.com/us/STEM_ELA_SpEd_ErlEd/SMART+solutions+in+special+education