Peak electrical power conversion system

An electrical power delivery system for delivering electrical power and a control signal from a power source to a plurality of power loads comprising:

• a power bus that transmits electrical power from the power source to the plurality of power loads;
• a control bus that transmits a control signal from the power source to the plurality of power loads;
• a common bus that provides a return for the power bus and the control bus;
• wherein the power bus, control bus, and common bus are spaced apart from each other such that they are parallel and coplanar with each other;
• and
• a plurality of planar circuit boards, each circuit board associated with a separate one of the plurality of power loads, and each having first, second, and third clips on one side that are spaced apart in a triangular configuration and engageable with the power bus, the control bus, and the common bus.

A method of delivering the maximum available output power to a plurality of electrical power loads from a power source that has an output power that varies with changes in the output current of the power source such that the output power from the power source peaks at an optimum current that is less than the maximum available output current of the power source, comprising:

• generating an output voltage signal based on the output voltage of the power source;
• generating an output current signal based on the output current of the power source;
• providing a plurality of electrical power converters associated with the plurality of power loads, each power converter drawing current from the power source in accordance with a current control signal;
• and
• tracking a peak in the available output power of the power source by calculating the output power of the power source based on the output voltage signal and the output current signal and setting the current control signal such that the combined current draw of the plurality of power converters is substantially equal to the optimum current, thereby allowing the power converters, in combination, to consume the maximum available power from the power source.

An electrical power system for delivering electrical energy to a plurality of electrical power loads, comprising:

• a solar electrical power source that has an electrical output power that varies with changes in the output current of the power source such that the output power from the power source peaks at an optimum current that is less than the maximum available output current of the power source;
• a voltage sensor that generates an output voltage signal based on the output voltage of the power source;
• a current sensor that generates an output current signal based on the output current of the power source;
• a controller that calculates the output power of the power source based on the output voltage signal and the output current signal and generates a current control signal associated with the calculated output power;
• and
• a plurality of electrical power converters associated with the plurality of power loads, each power converter receiving the current control signal and drawing current from the power source in accordance with a predetermined current limit set by the current control signal;
• wherein the controller tracks a peak in the available output power of the power source and sets the predetermined current limit of the current control signal such that the combined current draw of the plurality of power converters is substantially equal to the optimum current, thereby allowing the power converters, in combination, to consume the maximum available power from the power source.

A method of delivering electrical energy to a plurality of electrical power loads, comprising:

• providing a solar electrical power source that has an electrical output power that varies with changes in the output current of the power source such that the output power from the power source peaks at an optimum current that is less than the maximum available output current of the power source;
• generating an output voltage signal based on the output voltage of the power source;
• generating an output current signal based on the output current of the power source;
• providing a plurality of electrical power converters associated with the plurality of power loads, each power converter drawing current from the power source in accordance with a current control signal;
• and
• tracking a peak in the available output power of the power source by calculating the output power of the power source based on the output voltage signal and the output current signal and setting the current control signal such that the combined current draw of the plurality of power converters is substantially equal to the optimum current, thereby allowing the power converters, in combination, to consume the maximum available power from the power source.