Other

Best Power Technology, Inc.

General Signal Power Systems, Inc.

Michael J Cane

David L Layden

Michael L Dorrough

Kevin R Mengelt

Mark L Schultz

Robert Bishop

In this micro-controller-based line voltage meter/monitor instrument, an AC signal-under-test is sensed from the line voltage via a broadband isolation transformer, and processed to provide RMS and fast peak signals. These are A/D converted in the micro-controller in a sampling process synchronized from a zero-cross signal detected from the AC voltage-under-test. An LED (light-emitting diode) display with 40 LED segments provides resolution of one volt RMS per LED step/segment, and is color-coded to overlay the CBEMA nominal limits. RMS values ranging from 95 to 135 volts are indicated on a bar graph, and fast peak values ranging from 120 to 500 volts at the waveform crest are indicated by the selected LED cell flashing at a 1 Hz rate, with selectable peak hold time. An internal real time calendar/clock enables accumulation of time-related data regarding the ongoing quality of the power line voltage levels. A variety of parameters and alarm limits can be configured by the user via a DIP switch and/or a user port, accessible at the rear of the instrument, by which the instrument can be connected in two-way communication with an external computer or control terminal, e.g. with a keyboard and/or CRT monitor, to provide a variety of extended capabilities.

Power line meter/monitor with LED display

Connection of batteries to the DC bus lines across which capacitors are connected in power systems, such as uninterruptible power systems, is carried out using an auxiliary switch which is controlled to connect the batteries to a DC bus line through a precharge resistor momentarily before connection is made through a main connector. The preconnection of the batteries through the precharge resistor provides a controlled rate of charge of the capacitors before closing of the main connector to thereby avoid excessive surge currents. When the main connector is opened, as when the power system is prepared for transportation or long term storage, the auxiliary switch interrupts the current path from the battery through the precharge resistor and provides a current path from the DC bus line through a discharge resistor to ground to bleed down the charge on the capacitors to a desired level within a selected period of time.

Method and apparatus for connection and disconnection of batteries to

A backup power system has power supply lines extending from input terminals, connectable to a main AC power system, and output terminals, connectable to a load, with a relay connected in a power supply line. The AC input power is monitored and when a fault in the power is detected, the relay is opened and an inverter is simultaneously turned on to provide backup power from a battery to the output terminals at a phase and frequency synchronized with the AC input voltage before the fault occurs. When the AC power system power is restored, the inverter power is again synchronized with the AC input power at the input terminals, the relay switch is closed and the inverter is turned off to allow the main power system to provide power to the load. The inverter may be providing power to the power lines before the relay contacts are opened to minimize the disruption of power supplied to the load during transfers. The switching of the switching devices in the inverter is cut off if the current drawn by the inverter from the battery exceeds a current limit level, but is turned on again after a short period of time less than a cycle of the AC waveform to again attempt to provide power from the inverter to the load. This process may be repeated, if necessary, to provide power to loads which require higher currents during start-up of the load than during normal operation after start-up.

Backup power system and method

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Mauston, WI, United States of America

Michael J Cane