Department - Author 1

Electrical Engineering Department

Degree Name - Author 1

BS in Electrical Engineering

Date

6-2017

Primary Advisor

Bridget Benson

Abstract/Summary

The Power Distribution Controller senior project aims to replace the current Power Distribution Module (PDM) on Cal Poly’s Formula SAE internal combustion vehicle with a more advanced, configurable, and reliable system. The Power Distribution Controller is a MOSFET based system that can be controlled through either controller area network or a parallel interface to distribute and control power from the vehicle’s battery to the several electrical devices on the car. The Power Distribution Controller also collects output voltage and current data, and communicates this data to the vehicle’s data logger. This will allow engineers to troubleshoot electrical problems on the car by looking through log files, and also detect possible sources of electrical failure before the devices fail. Finally, the Power Distribution Controller is highly configurable and adaptable to any surrounding electrical system by being updatable through firmware rather than hardware.

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