Abstract: A method of decoupling a battery during high current cranking of an engine comprises charging a supercapacitor bank to a preselected DC supercapacitor voltage from a battery when said battery is above a preselected battery voltage, switching the supercapacitor bank to a load and switching the battery off the load, starting the engine and supplying initial voltage and current until terminal voltage of the supercapacitor is equal to terminal voltage of the battery, switching the battery into parallel with the supercapacitor, disconnecting the supercapacitor from the load, and recharging the supercapacitor to the preselected DC capacitor voltage.

Abstract: A gate drive unit includes a charging device, a switch, and a timing module. The charging device is conductively coupled with an electrical energy source and a power switch between the electric energy source and the charging device. The switch closes to transfer electrical energy from the energy source to the charging device. The timing module is configured to close the switch to direct the electrical energy from the electrical energy source to the charging device for a designated charging time period in order to charge the charging device with the electrical energy while the power switch is in an OFF state. The timing module opens the switch to cause the electrical energy stored in the charging device to be transferred out of the charging device in the form of a trigger current that is conducted to a gate terminal of the power switch to activate the power switch to an ON state from the OFF state.

Abstract: A method of decoupling a battery during high current cranking of an engine comprises charging a supercapacitor bank to a preselected DC supercapacitor voltage from a battery when said battery is above a preselected battery voltage, switching the supercapacitor bank to a load and switching the battery off the load, starting the engine and supplying initial voltage and current until terminal voltage of the supercapacitor is equal to terminal voltage of the battery, switching the battery into parallel with the supercapacitor, disconnecting the supercapacitor from the load, and recharging the supercapacitor to the preselected DC capacitor voltage.

Abstract: A gate drive unit includes a charging device, a switch, and a timing module. The charging device is conductively coupled with an electrical energy source and a power switch between the electric energy source and the charging device. The switch closes to transfer electrical energy from the energy source to the charging device. The timing module is configured to close the switch to direct the electrical energy from the electrical energy source to the charging device for a designated charging time period in order to charge the charging device with the electrical energy while the power switch is in an OFF state. The timing module opens the switch to cause the electrical energy stored in the charging device to be transferred out of the charging device in the form of a trigger current that is conducted to a gate terminal of the power switch to activate the power switch to an ON state from the OFF state.