POWER DEMAND SURGE MANAGEMENT CIRCUIT
A method of turning on a plurality of loads connected to a multi-channel power controller includes turning ON a first load, comparing a current-related value of the first load to a predefined threshold, and turning ON a second load after a selected one of a first time delay or a second time delay in response to the comparison.
1 . A method of turning on a plurality of loads connected to a multi-channel power controller, comprising the steps of:
(A) turning ON a first load;
(B) comparing a current-related value of the first load to a predefined threshold; and
(C) turning ON a second load after a selected one of a first time delay or a second time delay in response to the comparison.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the current-related value is a power consumption and wherein the predefined threshold is a power threshold.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the current-related value is an energy consumption and wherein the predefined threshold is an energy threshold.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first time delay is selected in response to the current-related value of step (A) not exceeding the predefined threshold and wherein the second time delay is selected in response to the current-related value of step (A) exceeding the predefined threshold.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first time delay corresponds to the inherent delay associated with a command to turn ON the second load.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second time delay is greater than the first time delay.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein steps (B)-(C) are selectively repeated to turn ON a plurality of additional loads.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the first load, the second load, and each of the plurality of additional loads are connected to a single power input.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein if step (B) indicates a current-related value that exceeds the predefined threshold then step (C) includes the steps of:
(D) waiting for a time period to elapse;
(E) repeating said step (B); and
(F) selectively repeating steps (D)-(E) until either said step (B) indicates that the current-related value is below the predefined threshold or said step (B) has been performed a predefined maximum quantity of times for the first load.
10 . The method of claim 9 , including:
(G) turning ON the second load in response to said step (B) indicating that the current-related value is below the predefined threshold.
11 . The method of claim 9 , including:
(G) leaving the second load in an OFF state in response to step (B) being performed the predefined maximum quantity of times for the first load.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the second time delay corresponds to the sum of the time periods from said step (D).
13 . The method of claim 9 , including the step of:
receiving a command to turn ON at least one of the first load and the second load as a wireless control signal from a self-energizing switch.
14 . A power control circuit, comprising:
a multi-channel power supply operable to selectively connect a plurality of loads to one of its channel outputs; and
a surge management circuit configured to stagger the turn ON times of the plurality of loads such that the controller turns ON a first load, and either turns ON a second load after a first time delay in response to a first condition, or turns ON the second load after a second time delay in response to a second condition.
15 . The circuit of claim 14 , wherein one of the plurality of loads includes a plurality of individual loads connected to a single channel output.
16 . The circuit of claim 14 , wherein the surge management circuit also staggers the turn ON times of the plurality of loads beyond the first and second load.
17 . The circuit of claim 14 , wherein the first condition corresponds to a current-related value of the first load being below a predefined threshold, and wherein the second condition corresponds to the current-related value of the first load exceeding the predefined threshold.
18 . The circuit of claim 17 , wherein the current-related value is a power consumption and wherein the predefined threshold is a power threshold.
19 . The circuit of claim 17 , wherein the current-related value is an energy consumption and wherein the predefined threshold is an energy threshold.
20 . The circuit of claim 16 , wherein the first time delay corresponds to the inherent delay associated with a command to turn ON the second load.
21 . The circuit of claim 16 , wherein the second time delay is greater than the first time delay.
22 . The circuit of claim 16 , wherein if the second time delay corresponds to at least one time period of a timer, wherein the at least one time period is selectively repeated until either the current-related value of the first load is less than the predefined threshold or the at least one time period has been repeated a predefined maximum quantity of times for the first load.
23 . The circuit of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the plurality of loads is also a multi-channel controller operable to selectively connect a plurality of downstream loads to the power source.
24 . The circuit of claim 13 , wherein the controller is responsive to wireless control signals from a self-energizing switch.