Patent ID: 8344530

Claim:
An engine starter for driving a starter motor by closing a starter switch connected in series between a power source and said starter motor for receiving power supply from said power source to start an engine, comprising: a resistor connected in series to said starter switch between said power source and said starter motor, for limiting a current flowing through said starter motor; and a short-circuiting switch connected in parallel to said resistor, for short-circuiting both ends of said resistor by energization of a driving coil after start of an operation of closing said starter switch, wherein said resistor is made of a plate-like stainless steel; wherein said starter switch includes an electromagnetic switch for connecting and disconnecting a first fixed contact connected to said power source and a second fixed contact connected to one end of each of said short-circuiting switch and said resistor by a moving contact driven by a driving coil and a holding coil, the driving coil having one end connected to said power source through an intermediation of a start switch closed at a time of driving of said starter motor and another end connected to a side of the second fixed contact, the holding coil having one end connected to said power source through an intermediation of the starting switch and another end connected to a ground; and wherein said short-circuiting switch includes an electromagnetic switch for connecting and disconnecting a first fixed contact connected to the second fixed contact of said starter switch, the other end of the driving coil, and the one end of said resistor and a second fixed contact connected to another end of said resistor and said starter motor by a moving contact driven by a driving coil having one end connected to a side of the first fixed contact and another end connected to the ground.