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PDM Installation & Configuration: Paralleling Outputs

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Paralleling Outputs

03.21

00:00 - An excellent feature that many PMUs have is being able to configure multiple output channels to operate in parallel.
00:07 What this means is that you're able to connect a single device or load to multiple output channels and configure the PMU to always switch those output channels in response to the same input conditions.
00:19 Essentially combining them into a single channel with an overall higher maximum current rating.
00:24 The reason some PMUs include this feature is to increase their flexibility.
00:28 Instead of having 4 20 amp capable outputs, the PMU can have 8 10 amp capable ouputs and if a device draws more than 10 amps, 2 of these channels can be parallel together.
00:41 This gives more channels overall that can be controlled individually.
00:45 High power MOSFETs are relatively expensive and by using 2 lower power units, the build cost of a PMU can also be reduced.
00:54 The implementation of paralleling outputs like this varies with the PMU manufacturer and you need to make sure your PMU supports this feature.
01:03 You can't simply configure two separate output channels to have the same input switching conditions and then just connect them to the same load.
01:11 This will likely confuse the PMU current monitoring logic as there'll always be a slight delay between one channel turning on and the other.
01:18 This delay might cause a current limit to be inadvertently tripped or other unexpected results.
01:25 Related to output paralleling are PMUs that have a single output channel MOSFET connected to 2 physical pins on the connector.
01:33 This is similar to paralleling 2 output channels but is a permanent connection, not something configurable in the software.
01:41 The reason for this is that often the maximum output channel current is limited by the physical connector that's being used.
01:48 It'll have a maximum continuous current rating per pin and the PMU shouldn't exceed this.
01:53 By connecting the output channel to 2 physical pins, that available current can double.
01:59 In either situation, whether you've configured outputs to operate in parallel or if you're using a PMU that has a single channel connected to 2 pins, you need to make sure that the load connected to each pin on that connector is as balanced as possible.
02:14 If you're connecting just a single device to an output channel that has two physical pins, you can bring the wires from those pins together into a splice and then have the other side of that splice connect to the device with an appropriately sized larger gauge wire.
02:29 If the output channel is supplying multiple devices like 8 injectors for example, you could have 4 injectors powered from each pin and this would ensure that that load is balanced.
02:40 In this course module, we've looked at PMU output paralleling.
02:43 This is a feature implemented in some PMUs to allow 2 or more channels to be combined into a single higher current channel.
02:51 The PMU must support this feature specifically and it needs to be configured in the software.
02:57 Some PMUs have single output channels connected to multiple connector pins permanently, allowing those channels to output a higher overall current than a single connector pin could handle.
03:09 When paralleling output channels or using a single channel that has multiple pins, the current flowing through each connector pin must be kept as balanced as possible.

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