E motion Hybrids to get E-Plex touch-screen master control system
November 25, 2007
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| Ft. Myers Beach, FL. E motion Hybrids will jump to a new level of technological sophistication with a custom-designed, E-Plex master control system. The E-Plex system operates all electrical devices from touch-screen panels installed anywhere on the boat - at the helm, in the salon, cabins, galley or anywhere else desired. The screens can incorporate AC and DC panel control switches and meter readouts for electric drive motors, generator, inverter, air conditioning, water pumps, holding tanks, lights, entertainment systems, security systems and any other electrical device on the boat. |
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Typical E-Plex system on conventional diesel-powered boat with AC genset.
E motion version will have main battery pack and house batteries, electric
propulsion motor instead of engine, DC-DC converter and DC generator |
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The first E motion E-Plex controls will be designed and built by Airpax Dimensions (now part of Sensata Technologies) for a hybrid electric drive system that includes two other major components custom-designed for E motion: a 16 kw BluWav motor and a Victron DC-DC converter. BluWav Systems, Rochester Hills, MI, and Victron Energy, Almere Haven, The Netherlands, will work closely with Airpax and E motion Hybrids to integrate all components into a seamless, smoothly operating system.
E-Plex control systems greatly reduce the wiring, switches and circuit breakers in a boat by combining the electric power for running a device with the electrical signals for controlling it on the same wires. Where a conventional control panel would have a pair of wires running from each switch, sensor, meter and operating device, the E-Plex system has only a single pair for everything in the boat.
Control signals for all devices pass through the same pair of wires but only operate the specific devices they are intended for via a technique known as multiplexing. The appropriate signal branches off from the main pair to the device it operates through a control module located nearby. E-Plex can operate as many as 2000 devices over a single pair of wires.
The E-Plex system includes user interfaces, power distribution modules, machine interface modules, sensors and software and the electronic protocol that allows data and power to be transmitted over the same wire. Any device on the boat such as a drive motor or watermaker can be operated or monitored from any control panel on the boat.
If one display or control point should fail, the system will continue to operate and data can be monitored and controlled through alternative modules.The master control module - known as the clock module - keeps a backup copy of all software. If a module fails, a blank spare is connected to the bus and the clock immediately recognizes it and downloads all required software.
The system also includes backup manual overrides for critical control modules, such as those for the motor, generator, DC-DC converter and inverter, so they will continue to operate even if the entire E-Plex network were to fail. |
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Master clock module |
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Lights display |
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Video/security display |
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Lights display |
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Temperature display |
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Lights display |
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DC power & relay module |
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AC power & light module |
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Rocker switches |
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Multi-input modules |
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Engine monitor module
and rf remotes |
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Tank level sensor (L)
HVAC sensor (R) |
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