Abstract: A system and method for controlling excessive charging of batteries in battery power plants and power systems. A system embodiment includes: a battery plant for supplying power to a load, and incorporates one or more of the following: a power supply, a battery string (with at least one battery), and a controller. The power supply(s) is used to charge a battery string(s) having at least one battery. The controller is coupled to the battery string(s) and the power supply(s). The controller is configured to: (1) sense whether the battery string is receiving an excess current independent of current to a load by comparing current flowing to the battery string to a preset current limit, (2) dynamically adjust the current limit to eliminate any excess current detected in the battery string if an excess current is detected, and (3) increase the current limit to charge the battery string when no excess current is detected.

Abstract: In a modular system having a plurality of modules therein, an identification system for, and method of, identifying individual ones of the plurality of modules. The identification system includes: (1) a request generator, associated with a controller of the modular system, that requests each of the ones of the modules to select a polling number, the controller polling the ones of the modules as a function of a value of the polling number to obtain an identification code associated therewith and (2) a polling generator within the controller that assigns a logical identification number to the each of the ones of the modules as a function of the value of the polling number.

Abstract: In a modular power supply having a plurality of module slots capable of receiving power supply modules therein, a system and method for controlling the power supply modules to regulate an overall output characteristic of the modular power supply, including: (1) an overall control circuit for sensing an overall output characteristic of the modular power supply and developing therefrom an overall error signal representing a deviation of the overall output characteristic from a reference characteristic and (2) a separate module control circuit for each of the power supply modules, each separate module control circuit sensing an output characteristic of an associated power supply module and developing therefrom and from the overall error signal a regulating signal for the associated power supply module, the regulating signal controlling the output characteristic of the associated power supply module to control the overall output characteristic of the modular power supply.