The benefits that gear-reduced starter motors offer, over older direct drive type, are well known in the car, LCV and HGV markets. (Smaller, lighter and more efficient = fuel saving)

For several years Prestolite have offered the market leading M105R starter  motor,  fitted on many OE’s including MTU, MAN, Van Hool, Cummins, CAT, Perkins, King Long, Weichai Power, Yulin Diesel and many others.

Based on the success of the M105R starters (producing > 150,000 per year) we have worked hard to expand our gear-reduced starter range and continue doing so to bring you the best product for all your starting needs.

We can now offer heavy duty GR starters from 2.8L up to 32L engines (single starter applications).
 
As expected from Prestolite, we continue to innovate to offer unique features.

Noseless starters with rotatable nose housing and rotatable control relay giving ultimate flexibility, and advanced clutch and gearbox developments to delivery enhanced starting conditions, protecting engines and giving endurance and longevity.

 
The M128R development is now completed, giving a 24V / 12kW starter for up to 32L engines (or 64L in dual starter applications). Redesigned gearbox, clutch and seal arrangement coupled with reinforced and dynamically balanced armature will give lighter, more powerful and more durable starter that its predecessor.

 

Stop/start functionality is migrating across from car into truck and bus markets.

The demand is primarily driven by emission control and fuels saving for public transport and multi-stop delivery vehicles navigating busy city centres.
 
Prestolite are working closely with Cummins and other OE manufacturers, developing and field trialling the stop/start SSM91R and M105R starter motor, with required duty cycle of 250,000 starts, in UK and China.
 
Stop / Start starter functionality not only impacts the starter motor functionality and reliability, but also places additional demand and stress on the electrical system.

With every start function the starter draws a large amount of power from the batteries. On continuous journeys this loss would be quickly replenished, however, the vehicle does not operate continuously due to the stop / start design. Therefore, the alternator is required to deliver a high output at low speed and at a higher efficiency, ensuring the system is capable of supporting the stop / start system and the other electrical loads (light, heating, charging points, etc).

In 2020, Shanghai E-Drive, which like Prestolite is part of the EVBG group and manufactures pure electric vehicle systems, hybrid and plug-in hybrid systems, moved their commercial vehicle manufacturing centre to a new Prestolite factory in Weifang. The company completed its first  European original equipment EV bus system contract for Irizar and has recently supplied over 4,000 pieces of e-drive to Renault for their Dacia SUV. 

Looking ahead, the long term future bodes well for the company as Prestolite are at the forefront of Electric Vehicle technology in China with a business that has been established for over 10 years and an annual output over 500K EV drive, controllers, plug in hybrid, hydrogen fuel cell units. This technology is currently being rolled out to the rest of the company’s divisions globally, with exciting new projects in the pipeline.

At Prestolite we consider ourselves specialists in alternators and regulator technology, with 108 years of experience.

 

The last decade has seen significant changes in alternator technology and the associated regulator technology.

Introduction of exotic irons and permanent magnets into rotor cores have seen up to 40% increase in output versus traditional iron cores.

 

Dual internal fan alternators offer improved cooling for stator and rectifier assembly, allowing better heat dissipation, increased output and a light weight compact design.

 

 
Hairpin stator technology is back.

 

It’s no secret that more copper in the stator equal more amps, and higher operating efficiency.

 

Rectangular profiled copper bars (hairpins), similar to that found on starter armature design, allows for maximum gap fill, where as traditional copper wire could not fill the slots in the laminations, leaving air gaps.

 

Hairpin alternators are not new, Butec produced the A100 alternators in the 1970’s, however the manufacturing of these stators were difficult and expensive.

 

Advances in manufacturing technology have made the production of hairpin stators a practical, reliable   and   cost   effective   option,   coupled with weight reduction and increased efficiency contributes to vehicle fuel efficiency, ultimately the driving force behind the technology.

 

 

The use of hairpin stators yield a 50% increase in output vs the same size conventional coil wound stator (AVI147 vs AVI150). Or in terms of alternator weight, up to 60% reduction of weight.

 

Prestolite innovation doesn’t stop there. How multiple alternators operate together is more important than the brute force of the alternators.

 

Some manufacturers operate the first alternator at maximum output before engaging the second and third alternators. This results in one alternator doing most of the work, operating at maximum output and maximum temperature range all the time. The net result being that this no.1 alternator suffers early life failure.

 

At Prestolite we believe the load should be shared equally between the alternators, relieving the load and temperature pressures on the alternators, resulting in longer alternator life.

 

To achieve this Prestolite have designed a market leading multi-functional regulator with superior load sharing capability.

 

A digital, fully programmable regulator, featuring a voltage sense function and negative thermal coefficient to ensure thermal efficiency and protection.

 

We have implemented this regulator technology across our OE product range and also developed our own regulators for our Aftermarket ranges fitted on our Bosch equivalent NC, NCB, NCB1, NCB2, HD10 alternators, and also in our new Mitsubishi A004T equivalent range.

 

We are continuously working to innovate and bring you the next generation of charging and starting technology.

 

 
Should you have any questions regarding our product ranges or have any special requirements, please contact your Regional Prestolite Sales Manager or our Technical helpline.