US 11,953,540 B1 · Battery diode fault monitoring

Abstract

A system is disclosed to detect failure of a diode that is connected in series with a battery and a contactor or other switch configured to connect the battery to a load when the contactor or other switch is in a closed position and to isolate the battery from the load when the contactor or other switch is in an open position. In various embodiments, the system includes a high value resistor connected between the anode terminal of the diode and ground, the connection to the anode terminal being on a load side of the contactor or other switch; and a voltage meter configured to measure a voltage across the high value resistor at least during a test in which a voltage is applied to a bus associated with the load while the contactor or other switch is in the open position.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A power system, comprising:

a load node;
a first power source, comprising:
a first battery,
a first switch, connected to the first battery, and
a first diode, connected to the first switch and to the load node;
a second power source, comprising:
a second battery,
a second switch, connected to the second battery, and
a second diode, connected to the second switch and to the load node;
and
a processor, configured to selectively control the first switch to electrically connect the first battery to the load node, and to selectively control the second switch to electrically connect the second battery to the load node,
wherein the processor is further configured to test the first diode while the first battery is electrically isolated from the load node.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Battery diode fault monitoring

Life of this patent

Battery diode fault monitoring

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20