Abstract: A printed circuit board (PCB)-mounted contactor including a PCB with planar surface, source and load terminals fixed to the PCB, and a contact. The contact is supported by the PCB and is movable between open and closed positions. Movement of the contact is parallel to the planar surface. Electrical assemblies having PCB-mounted contactors and methods of controlling current flow in electrical systems with PCB-mounted contactors are also described.

Abstract: A system for differential current monitoring includes a control module and a plurality of nodes operatively connected to the control module. Each node is configured to monitor current from a bus to a respective load. The control module and nodes are configured to monitor current at each of the nodes, issue a pulse for each node, wherein the pulse has a duration that is proportional to current at the node, concatenate all of the pulses for the nodes to determine the total current drawn from the bus at the nodes, compare the total current drawn from the bus at the nodes to current input to the bus, and signal a fault condition if the total current drawn from the bus is not within a predetermined range of the current input to the bus.

Abstract: A power distribution system includes a solid state power controller (SSPC). The SSPC includes a microcontroller having at least one voltage sense input. The microcontroller is configured to selectively allow a current through the SSPC in response to a common mode voltage to ground and/or a SSPC differential voltage meeting or exceeding a respective pre-determined threshold. A method of operating a SSPC includes determining whether at least one of a common mode voltage to ground or a SSPC differential voltage meet or exceed a respective pre-determined threshold. The method includes selectively allowing a current through the SSPC in response to at least one of the common mode voltage to ground or the SSPC differential voltage meeting or exceeding the respective pre-determined threshold.

Abstract: A relay contactor is provided and includes a shaft assembly comprising a plate, which is movable between an open position at which the plate is displaced from leads and a closed position at which the plate contacts the leads and an actuation system configured to selectively move the plate into the closed position. At least one of the shaft assembly and the actuation system is configured such that, as the plate moves into and away from the closed position, a movement of the plate relative to the leads comprises at least a non-linear, rotational or an abnormally linear component.

Abstract: A system for identifying an arc fault in a wire, the system comprising a controller operably connected to a first load via first wire; the controller configured to supply a current to the first load, wherein the controller is operable to measure and filter the first voltage on the first wire with a bandpass filter having a selected pass band to select and retain spectral content, amplify the retained spectral content, and identify an envelope of the amplified retained spectral content. The controller also operable to measure a first current in the first wire and correlate changes in the first current with a characteristic of the amplified retained spectral content to identify an arc fault, wherein the characteristic includes a buffered envelope as a signal indicative of the amount of energy in the selected passband frequency range.

Abstract: A method of identifying an arc fault in a wire operably connected between a controller and a load. The method includes operably connecting a sense wire to the wire in close proximity to a load supplied by the controller via the wire, measuring a first voltage on the wire at the load via the sense wire, measuring a second voltage on the wire at an output interface of the controller and measuring a current in the first wire. The method also includes identifying any differences between the voltage on the wire measured at the load and the second voltage on the wire measured at the output interface, ascertaining any anomalies in the current measured in the wire, and correlating the differences between the first voltage and the second voltage with any anomalies in the current to identify an arc fault.

Abstract: A power control module includes a power device having a first side and a second side opposite from the first. The power control module includes a printed wiring board (PWB) spaced apart from the first side of the power device. The PWB is electrically connected to the power device. A heat sink plate is soldered to a second side of the transistor for heat dissipation from the transistor. The PWB and/or the heat sink plate includes an access hole defined therein to allow for access to the transistor during assembly. A method of assembling a power control module includes soldering at least one lead of a power device to a printed wiring board (PWB), pushing the power device toward a heat sink plate, and soldering the power device to the heat sink plate.

Abstract: An arc fault detection system with a built-in-test includes an arc fault detector having a load noise voltage input, a test current input and an arc fault detector output. The system includes a processing unit having a switch in electrical communication with the test current input and an input in electrical communication with the arc fault detector output. A method for testing an arc fault detection system includes generating a new bit with a processing unit and outputting the new bit to a switch operatively connected to the processing unit to at least one of turn the switch on or turn the switch off. The method includes reading a signal at an input of the processing unit.

Abstract: A solid-state power controller (SSPC) system with a built-in-test circuit includes a SSPC field-effect transistor (FET) switch. The system includes a current sense resistor electrically connected to the SSPC FET switch in series. A resistor is electrically connected to the current sense resistor in series. A switch is electrically connected to the resistor in series. A method for testing a current sense resistor value in a solid-state power controller (SSPC) system includes determining a cycle count, generating a new bit with a processing unit, and outputting the new bit to a switch operatively connected to the processing unit to at least one of turn the switch on or turn the switch off. The method includes reading a load current with the processing unit to determine whether a current sense resistor electrically coupled to the switch is operating within a desired resistance range.

Abstract: A printed circuit board (PCB)-mounted contactor including a PCB with planar surface, source and load terminals fixed to the PCB, and a contact. The contact is supported by the PCB and is movable between open and closed positions. Movement of the contact is parallel to the planar surface. Electrical assemblies having PCB-mounted contactors and methods of controlling current flow in electrical systems with PCB-mounted contactors are also described.

Abstract: A power distribution assembly according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a housing at least partially receiving a plurality of hardware modules coupled to a backplane, the plurality of hardware modules including at least one output module and a communications module that communicates information between the plurality of hardware modules and a second power distribution assembly. At least one hardware module of the plurality of hardware modules includes a field programmable gate array that commands the at least one output module to selectively power at least one aircraft system. A method of operation of a power distribution system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A power control module includes a power device having a first side and a second side opposite from the first. The power control module includes a printed wiring board (PWB) spaced apart from the first side of the power device. The PWB is electrically connected to the power device. A heat sink plate is soldered to a second side of the transistor for heat dissipation from the transistor. The PWB and/or the heat sink plate includes an access hole defined therein to allow for access to the transistor during assembly. A method of assembling a power control module includes soldering at least one lead of a power device to a printed wiring board (PWB), pushing the power device toward a heat sink plate, and soldering the power device to the heat sink plate.

Abstract: A system balances current flowing through a solid-state power controller system including at least two output channels connected in parallel. The system delivers a first current to a load via a first output channel to a load, and delivers a second current to the load via a second output channel connected in parallel with the first output channel. The system further determines a first strength of the first current and a second strength of the second current, and adjusts at least one of a first resistance of the first output channel and a second resistance of the second output channel such that the first current strength is substantially equal to the second current strength.

Abstract: A printed circuit board (PCB)-mounted contactor including a PCB with planar surface, source and load terminals fixed to the PCB, and a contact. The contact is supported by the PCB and is movable between open and closed positions. Movement of the contact is parallel to the planar surface. Electrical assemblies having PCB-mounted contactors and methods of controlling current flow in electrical systems with PCB-mounted contactors are also described.

Abstract: A method of identifying an arc fault in a wire operably connected between a controller and a load. The method includes operably connecting a sense wire to the wire in close proximity to a load supplied by the controller via the wire, measuring a first voltage on the wire at the load via the sense wire, measuring a second voltage on the wire at an output interface of the controller and measuring a current in the first wire. The method also includes identifying any differences between the voltage on the wire measured at the load and the second voltage on the wire measured at the output interface, ascertaining any anomalies in the current measured in the wire, and correlating the differences between the first voltage and the second voltage with any anomalies in the current to identify an arc fault.

Abstract: A power distribution system includes a solid state power controller (SSPC). The SSPC includes a microcontroller having at least one voltage sense input. The microcontroller is configured to selectively allow a current through the SSPC in response to a common mode voltage to ground and/or a SSPC differential voltage meeting or exceeding a respective pre-determined threshold. A method of operating a SSPC includes determining whether at least one of a common mode voltage to ground or a SSPC differential voltage meet or exceed a respective pre-determined threshold. The method includes selectively allowing a current through the SSPC in response to at least one of the common mode voltage to ground or the SSPC differential voltage meeting or exceeding the respective pre-determined threshold.

Abstract: A system for identifying an arc fault in a wire, the system comprising a controller operably connected to a first load via first wire; the controller configured to supply a current to the first load, wherein the controller is operable to measure and filter the first voltage on the first wire with a bandpass filter having a selected pass band to select and retain spectral content, amplify the retained spectral content, and identify an envelope of the amplified retained spectral content. The controller also operable to measure a first current in the first wire and correlate changes in the first current with a characteristic of the amplified retained spectral content to identify an arc fault, wherein the characteristic includes a buffered envelope as a signal indicative of the amount of energy in the selected passband frequency range.

Abstract: Embodiments include a technique for eliminating secondary fuses in high power solid state power controllers, the technique includes controlling gate power provided to a field effect transistor array, and detecting a failure mode. The technique also includes disabling the gate power based at least in part on detecting the failure mode, and restoring the gate power responsive to resolving the failure mode.

Abstract: A system for dynamically controlling the functionality of control channels in an electrical system includes a plurality of control channels, each operatively connected to at least one state change device connected to an electrical component. Each control channel is operatively connected to at least one adjacent control channel by a control channel communication line. Each control channel is configured to store grouping information of the state change device. A controller is operatively connected to each control channel such that each control channel can receive the grouping information from the controller. The controller is configured to selectively send grouping information to allow each control channel to directly communicate with adjacent control channels within their respective grouping such that each control channel in a grouping functions together in unison when the at least one state change device in a grouping changes state.

Abstract: A power control module includes a power device having a first side and a second side opposite from the first. The power control module includes a printed wiring board (PWB) spaced apart from the first side of the power device. The PWB is electrically connected to the power device. A heat sink plate is soldered to a second side of the transistor for heat dissipation from the transistor. The PWB and/or the heat sink plate includes an access hole defined therein to allow for access to the transistor during assembly. A method of assembling a power control module includes soldering at least one lead of a power device to a printed wiring board (PWB), pushing the power device toward a heat sink plate, and soldering the power device to the heat sink plate.