High dc voltage power supply for motor vehicle electrical system

Abstract

A high DC voltage power supply includes a three-phase autotransformer and a three-phase full-wave rectifier applied to the usual motor vehicle electrical system of the low DC voltage type. The low three-phase AC voltage of the usual system is transformed by the autotransformer to obtain a high three-phase AC voltage which is then rectified by the rectifier to provide a high DC voltage. The load energized by the high DC voltage is ungrounded to reduce the voltage available for inadvertent discharge from either load terminal to ground. Switching apparatus is provided for selectively applying the low three-phase AC voltage to the autotransformer only when it is desired to energize the load thereby avoiding at all other times the energy losses that would otherwise be associated with energization of the autotransformer. In one embodiment, the load is windshield heater element and the autotransformer has multiple sets of input taps to provide deice and defog modes of operation, respectively. The tapping of the autotransformer on the input or primary side yields efficiencies in the construction and operation of the autotransformer. In another embodiment, a current transformer is provided for measuring the AC current through one of the input and output leads of the autotransformer as an indication of the DC current through the load thereby to detect an abnormally low load current condition.