Fuel injectors are an essential component of a modern car’s engine system. They are responsible for delivering the fuel necessary for combustion in the engine’s cylinders. Without them, a vehicle would be unable to run efficiently, and its performance would suffer.
However, fuel injectors cannot operate on their own; they require a source of power to function correctly. This power is typically supplied by the vehicle’s electrical system, which sends an electrical signal to the fuel injectors, telling them when to release fuel into the engine.
What Sends Power to Fuel Injectors
The process of sending power to fuel injectors is relatively straightforward. When the car’s engine is running, the battery supplies power to the alternator, which converts this energy into the electrical current needed to power the vehicle’s electrical components, including the fuel injectors.
The fuel injectors themselves are typically controlled by an engine control unit (ECU), which receives input from various sensors around the engine, such as the throttle position sensor and the oxygen sensor. Based on this input, the ECU determines the optimal fuel-to-air ratio for the engine and sends a signal to the fuel injectors, telling them when and how much fuel to release.
This signal is typically a low-voltage electrical pulse, which is sent to the fuel injectors via a wiring harness. When the pulse is received, the fuel injector’s solenoid is activated, causing the injector to open and release fuel into the engine’s intake manifold.
The amount of fuel released by the injector is controlled by the length of the electrical pulse sent by the ECU. A longer pulse results in more fuel being released, while a shorter pulse releases less fuel. This allows the ECU to finely control the amount of fuel delivered to the engine, ensuring that it runs efficiently and produces the desired level of power.
In summary, the power required to operate fuel injectors is provided by the vehicle’s electrical system. The engine control unit sends an electrical signal to the fuel injectors, telling them when and how much fuel to release. This signal is typically a low-voltage pulse sent via a wiring harness, and the amount of fuel released is controlled by the length of the pulse. By finely controlling the amount of fuel delivered to the engine, the ECU ensures that the engine runs efficiently and produces the desired level of power.