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Starter cabling description choice of the components

This document explains the steps enabling to choose the correct battery and cables
according to the starter used.
In order to confirm the size of battery cables, it is necessary to compare the total resistance
of the battery and cables to the value RG which can be found in the Technical Sales
Document (TEN)
To define the minimum battery capacity it is necessary to consider the starting current for
each starter (found in TEN data) as well as the starting time and number of start attempts
(defined by application norms).
This information sheet has been realized by considering an operating temperature as equal
to 20 C for the calculation.

Procedures Checklist:
1. Definition of the starting system
2. Creation of an equivalent circuit
3. Battery Selection
a. Information from the TEN Data.
b. Applicable norm and standard
c. Calculation of the required battery capacity
d. Checking of the short circuit current
e. Selection of the battery configuration
4. Size selection of Cables
a. Calculation of the equivalent cabling resistance
b. Choice of the cable cross section
c. Selection of the standard cross section
5. Assessment of the selected components
6. Optional control of the selected components by measurements
The procedure to follow will be detailed in the next parts.

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Starter cabling description choice of the components

1. Definition of the starting system

First, the starting system has to be defined according to the engine configuration and the use
of the customer:

The number of starters

The configuration: Single-, parallel- or redundant starter
The desired numbers of batteries

Configuration 1 as single starter:

Configuration 2 as parallel starters:

In the second configuration, the length of the cabling and the current in the second branch is
different than the first one. This has to be taken into account in the calculation of the cross
section.
Some information regarding the starter need to be known to properly select the other
components.
Example with a starter Prestolite M105R :
Parameters

Units

Power

7,5 kW

Voltage

24 V

Short-circuit current

2000 A

Starting current (at 100 rpm/s, speed of the engine)

700 A

Resistance of the battery and the cabling (

Nominal starting duration
Pause time between two starts for a nominal starting duration

8,0 m
3s
-

Pause time between two starts if the starting duration is

higher than the nominal starting

60 s

Maximum permissible starting duration

15 s

Number of possible starting attempts within 30 min

This limit values can be found in the TEN Data documentation and refer to single starter, not
the whole starting system.

Gendrive
Starter cabling description choice of the components
2. Creation of an equivalent circuit
By creating an equivalent circuit, it is possible to find the equivalent internal resistance and
short circuit current of the batteries.
If the power supply needs several batteries, an equivalent circuit must be realized to
calculate the new equivalent voltage, current, and internal resistance.
Example of a four batteries power supply and a single starter:

Equivalent
circuit

Resistance of the cabling

Resistance of the battery
M Starter
U Voltage in the circuit
Battery capacity
Ik Maximum permissible current in the battery
In the case of two starters in parallel:
wiring diagram:

schematics:
Starter 1

Starter 2

Battery

Given that the configuration of two parallel starters, two different RG resistances will be
defined: RG1 and RG2. The first one will be representative of the first resistances RB and RL1,
and the second (RG2) refers to the resistances RB and RL2. Indeed, as the length of the two
lines is different, the resistances of the cables will also be different.
Note that the resistances RG1 and RG2 are given in the TEN Data.

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Starter cabling description choice of the components

3. Battery selection
a. Information from TEN Data
The starting current of the starter and the total minimum resistance RG of cable system must
be first reported from the TEN Data.

b. Applicable norm and standard

For the calculation of the battery capacity, the formula to use must be in compliance with the
norms specific to the engine application (Marine, Gensets). This norm should define the
number of start attempts and the starting time required as well.
Remark: If the norm does not specify a starting time, use the nominal starting time found in
the TEN data.

c. Calculation of the required battery capacity

The battery capacity has to be calculated according to the applicable norm, the type of
starting system and if the parameters are not specified, to the TEN data.
The battery capacity (C) in Ampere hour (Ah) can be calculated by these formulas :
For a single starter system:

For a parallel starters system:

2

For information:
Different battery ratings exist (C5, C10, C20, C100). These ratings are totally dependent
from the capacity of the battery.
Example:
A C10 rating battery with a capacity of 100 Ah means that the battery will be able to provide
100 Ah with a current of 10 Ampere (100Ah/10h) for 10 hours.
A C20 Battery of 275 Ah will be able to provide 275 Ah with a current of 13.8 Amperes for 20
hours.
Regarding the battery of the starter, the recommended one would be a C20 rating battery.

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Starter cabling description choice of the components

d. Checking of short circuit current

The short circuit current IK that will go through the starter must not exceed the maximum
permissible current of the battery. Therefore, the maximal current supported by the battery
must also be checked.
Single starter (see chapter 1)
Maximum needed current of the starter
<=
Maximum permission discharge current
of the battery system

Parallel starter (see chapter 1)

sum of max needed current of both starter
<=
Maximum permission discharge current
of the battery system

e. Selection of the battery configuration

Once the calculation is done, the proper battery configuration must be defined according to
the previous result. Indeed the capacity calculated corresponds to the case of a single
battery :

A multi-battery configuration can be chosen after getting the value of the capacity and
according to the batteries that the client wants to use.
Example of four batteries configuration :

Power supply
Maximum permission discharge current of battery
Capacity of single battery (C20)

U1 = U / 2 = 24V / 2 =12V
IK1 = IK / 2
C1 = C / 2

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Starter cabling description choice of the components
With information of power supply, max permission discharge current of battery and capacity
of battery a suitable battery must be selected.
For calculation of cross section the internal resistance RB of the battery must be known. This
value can be asked from manufacturer of battery.
Total internal resistance of battery system RB:

RBG

RB
!"B

4. Size selection of cables

a. Calculation of the equivalent cabling resistance
Once the equivalent data are calculated, the cabling resistance (
determined.
RL

= Resistance of cabling

RG

= Total resistance from TEN-Data

RBG

= Total resistance of battery system (Section 3e)

in ) must be

Single starter system:

#

See the single starter circuit part 3.e.

-

Parallel starter system:

%
!

$
$
#!
#%

#
#

See circuit diagram chapter 1.

The internal resistance of the battery (RB) must be provided by the battery supplier. The
terminal (clamp) resistance has to be taken into account within the cabling resistance RL.

b. Choice of the cable cross section

Then, knowing the required length of the cable (L) for the cabling of the starter, the cross
section (S) can be calculated by using the resistance of the cabling ( :
&

"'

is the resistivity of the cable material in

))
)

, in mm
.

In case of a parallel starter system, the different cables cross sections must be calculated
(cable 1 and cable 2) with the resistances % and ! .

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Starter cabling description choice of the components

c. Selection of the standard cross section.

According to the calculated cross section, choose the closest smaller standard cable.
Please pay attention that the selected cable is able to support nominal current of the starter.

5. Assessment of the selected components

Further to the selection of the different components, the coherence of the values must be
verified :
Battery

Starter

Cabling

Equivalent battery
capacity

deduced from the

corresponding norm

Maximum
permissible current
in the battery

Short circuit current

condition
Is battery capacity >
calculated ?
Maximum permissible current
in the battery > Short circuit
current ?
,

# (from the TEN Data)

If the conditions mentioned in the comparisons column are respected, then this is alright.
Otherwise, parameters must be checked again to fulfill these requirements.
* The condition should be ideally equal. If the calculated RG is too low starter current will be
too high, leading to starter damage, If the calculated RG is too high starter performance is
decreased and starter function is limited.
Adjust the total resistance by appropriate measures (e.g. add additional resistor or choose
different cable size or battery type) to reach a value close to the given value RG.

6. Optional Control of the selected components by measurements

To check that the chosen components are in accordance with the starter functioning,
measurements control of the # resistance (Battery + cables resistances) can be done.
The voltage must be measured between the terminal 30 and 31 of the starter and the current
has also to be checked.
Please use only measuring equipment which is released for high power current.
Two different voltages and one current have to be recorded :
.%
.!
/!
#

is the voltage of the starter before it runs.

is the voltage measured at the very beginning of the starting of the starter.
is the current measured at the same time .! is measured.
is finally obtained by using this formula :

01 2 0
3

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Starter cabling description choice of the components
Here is a concrete example with graphics showing the measurements performed on a
Prestolite M105R engine for a single starter circuit:
oil

Engine

T Oil filter

U1

I2

U2

In this example, .% is approximately equal to 26,1 V.

.! and /! are measured at the same time right after the starting and respectively equal to
8,7V and 1704 A. We can then calculate the resistance :
01 2 0
#

!4,%62 7,86
%89:;

10,21

Then, this value has to be compared with the value given by the TEN Data. If the value found
by the measurement is higher than the TEN Data one, this is OK. Otherwise, the resistance
is too low and consequently the battery capacity or cables cross section must be
recalculated.
In our case, the # value of measurement (10,21 ) is more than RG value in the TEN
Data (8,0 ), so choice of the components is OK.

The values of the .! voltage and /! current have to be taken out the earliest possible
after the starter begins to run.