A diagnostic system for a DC-DC voltage converter is provided. The DC-DC voltage converter has a high voltage bi-directional MOSFET switch. The high voltage bi-directional MOSFET switch has a first node and a second node. The microcontroller samples a first voltage at the first node at a first sampling rate utilizing a first common channel in a first bank of channels to obtain a first predetermined number of voltage samples. The microcontroller determines a first number of voltage samples in the first predetermined number of voltage samples in which the first voltage is less than a first threshold voltage. The microcontroller sets a first voltage diagnostic flag equal to a first fault value if the first number of voltage samples is greater than a first threshold number of voltage samples indicating a voltage out of range low fault condition for the analog-to-digital converter.

A sliding power contact and method includes a mobile load device connector and a socket. The mobile load device connector includes a non-current power pin having a first length, a current power pin having a second length less than the first length, a neutral pin, and a ground pin. The socket includes a non-current power contact configured to electrically couple with the non-current power pin, a current power contact configured to electrically couple with the current power pin, a neutral contact configured to electrically couple with the neutral pin, and a ground pin configured to electrically couple with the ground pin. An arc suppressor is directly coupled to at least one of the non-current power pin and the non-current power contact, wherein the arc suppressor, the non-current power pin and the non-current power contact form a current path between the current power pin and the current power contact.

A test circuit performs fault detection tests on a motor branch circuit, to detect pre-existing faults before a motor start-up to pre-empt potential damage to the motor branch circuit therefrom. The test circuit is configured to be coupled to the phase lines of a motor branch circuit at a set of test points strategically located on the phase lines. The test circuit includes test lines that are each coupled to a different one of the phase lines at one of the set of test points. The test circuit includes a test controller that, during a test mode, sequentially presents a low voltage supply to each phase line through the test line coupled thereto, to test for ground faults then sequentially couples the low voltage supply across each possible pairing of the phase lines to test for line-to-line faults. The test mode can be initiated manually or automatically.

Systems, methods, and circuits for determining one or more switch statuses are disclosed herein. In one example embodiment, such a system includes a first port configured to be coupled to a switch, a capacitor, a comparator having first and second input ports and an output port, a current source coupled to the first input port, and a control component. The first input port is coupled to the first port and a threshold voltage if applied to the second input port. The control component is configured so that, in at least one circumstance, it causes the current source to cease driving the current in response to receiving an indication from the output port indicating that an additional voltage applied to the first input port has changed from being less than the threshold voltage to being greater than that voltage, the indication being indicative of the switch status.

A system and method according to various embodiments can include a programmable current sink circuit that comprises a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The DAC is programmable to set an adjustable magnitude of current sink so that a proper amount of current is jointly sunk from a plurality of inputs to generate a total sink current. With the adjustable current sink, redundant inputs, such as dual modular redundancy or triple modular redundancy, or simplex inputs can jointly sink the proper amount of current.

Magnetoresistive sensors are used to measure a load current of a switch. In some implementations, additionally a further current sensor may be used. In other implementations, more than one magnetoresistive sensor may be provided.

A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) including separable contacts, a ground fault detection circuit structured to detect a ground fault based and to output a trip signal in response to detecting the ground fault, a trip circuit structured to trip open the separable contacts in response to the trip signal, a test button structured to be actuated by a user, a test unit structured to sequentially perform a GFCI self-test sequence and a ground fault test sequence in response to actuation of the test button, wherein the test unit is structured to determine whether the GFCI passed the GFCI self-test sequence and to output in an alarm signal in response to determining that the GFCI failed the GFCI self-test sequence, and an indicator structured to receive the alarm signal and to provide a visual or audible indication in response to receiving the alarm signal.

A relay state management apparatus including a switch connected to an end of a battery module, a resistor unit connected to the switch, a voltage measuring unit measuring a voltage applied to the resistor unit, a relay connected between the battery module and a load, and a controller controlling the switch and the relay to be short-circuited and diagnosing a state of the relay based on the voltage measured by the voltage measuring unit.

A monitoring device is provided for monitoring a semiconductor-based switching element having a control input, a power input, and a power output. The monitoring device includes a charge carrier source for charging the control input of the switching element with electric charge carriers, and a measuring device for detecting a charge carrier drain from the control input of the switching element. The measuring device emits a warning signal if the charge carrier drain lies above a specified threshold value. A corresponding method for monitoring a semiconductor-based switching element is also provided.

A rotary switch state detection device includes a magnetic field generating unit, a gravity sensing unit, a magnetic force sensing unit and a processing unit. The magnetic field generating unit generates a magnetic field. The magnetic force sensing unit and the gravity sensing unit are disposed at a rotary switch to detect a gravity value and a magnetic force value of the magnetic field and generate a gravity strength signal and magnetic field strength signal, respectively. The processing unit is connected to the gravity sensing unit and the magnetic force sensing unit to calculate a gravity value variation and a magnetic force value variation and thereby precisely locate a rotation head of the rotary switch upon completion of rotation thereof.