Battery Disconnect Switch With Auxiliary Bilge Pump Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Bilge pumps in marine craft are often disconnected from secondary batteries during maintenance, leading to potential wear of cables and risk of the pump not functioning when reattached, and owners are unsure of battery health upon return, posing a risk of the watercraft sinking.
Innovation Solution
A battery master disconnect switch with an auxiliary terminal ensures the bilge pump remains powered even when other batteries are disconnected, and includes voltage indicators for primary and secondary batteries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the secondary battery is removed for service or replacement, then battery maintenance is enabled, but the bilge pump cable must be removed and reattached, increasing complexity and risk of disconnection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the bilge pump connection into the battery master disconnect switch housing by providing an auxiliary terminal within the switch that directly accepts the bilge pump cable. This integration eliminates the need for separate cable connections to the battery terminals, allowing battery removal and installation without disturbing the bilge pump connection, thus reducing complexity and preventing disconnection errors.
2Ease of operation
If the battery master disconnect switch disconnects all batteries from all devices, then complete power isolation is achieved for safety, but always-on devices like bilge pumps cannot receive continuous power
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a specialized power path through the auxiliary terminal that maintains continuous power connection for the bilge pump, while the main switch provides complete isolation for other devices. This localized differentiation allows simultaneous power isolation for safety and continuous power supply for essential devices that require always-on operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A battery master disconnect switch includes a front panel and a back panel. The front panel has a selector knob for selecting between multiple positions. The back panel has a primary terminal, a secondary terminal, and an auxiliary terminal. The primary terminal is for connection, using a first cable, to a primary battery. The secondary terminal is for connection, using a second cable, to a secondary battery. The auxiliary terminal is for enabling a device. The device receives power for any of the positions of the selector knob. The battery master disconnect switch can present a voltage for the primary, the secondary, or both the primary and secondary batteries.