Contactor damage and diagnostics
A method includes interpreting a contactor open event and a contactor load value for a contactor positioned on a motive power circuit for a mobile application, determining that a contactor opening event under load has occurred in response to the contactor open event and the contactor load value, and updating a contactor wear condition in response to the contactor opening event under load, wherein updating the contactor wear condition comprises accumulating a number of the contactor opening events under load.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a motive power circuit comprising a high current capability electrical path;
a first hall effect current sensor electrically coupled to the high current capability electrical path;
a second shunt resistor current sensor electrically coupled to the high current capability electrical path; and
a controller, comprising:
a current definition circuit structured to determine a current regime of the high current capability electrical path;
a current selection circuit structured to determine a sensor utilization value in response to the current regime; and
a current determination circuit structured to determine a current value of the high current capability electrical path in response to the current regime and a current signal from at least one of the first hall effect current sensor or the second shunt resistor current sensor.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the current selection circuit is structured to determine a sensor utilization value as indicating the second shunt resistor current sensor for selection in response to determining the second shunt resistor current sensor is operating in a valid operating region.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the current selection circuit is further structured to determine the second shunt resistor current sensor is operating in the valid operating region in response to a temperature of the second shunt resistor current sensor.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the current selection circuit is structured to determine a sensor utilization value as indicating the second shunt resistor current sensor for selection in response to the current regime being below a threshold current value.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the current selection circuit is further structured to provide a hysteresis operation in response to determining that a current regime change is indicated.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the current determination circuit is further structured to perform a smoothing operation on the current value in response to a change in the current regime.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the current selection circuit is structured to determine a sensor utilization value as indicating the second shunt resistor current sensor for selection in response to the current regime being above a threshold current value.
8 . A method, comprising:
determining, by a current definition circuit, a current regime of a high current capability electrical path of a motive power circuit comprising the high current capability electrical path;
determining, by a current selection circuit, a sensor utilization value in response to the current regime; and
determining, by a current determination circuit, a current value of the high current capability electrical path in response to the current regime and a current signal from at least one of a first hall effect current sensor electrically coupled to the high current capability electrical path or a second shunt resistor current sensor electrically coupled to the high current capability electrical path.
9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining that the second shunt resistor current sensor is operating in a valid operating region; and
determining, by the current selection circuit, a sensor utilization value as indicating the second shunt resistor current sensor for selection.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
determining, by the current selection circuit, the second shunt resistor current sensor is operating in the valid operating region in response to a temperature of the second shunt resistor current sensor.
11 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining, by the current selection circuit, a sensor utilization value as indicating the second shunt resistor current sensor for selection in response to the current regime being below a threshold current value.
12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining that a current regime change is indicated; and
in response to determining that the current regime change is indicated, providing a hysteresis operation.
13 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
performing, by the current determination circuit, a smoothing operation on the current value in response to a change in the current regime.
14 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
in response to the current regime being above a threshold current value, determining, by the current determination circuit, a sensor utilization value as indicating the second shunt resistor current sensor for selection.