Powernet Management
The powernet management feature protects the batteries from excessive discharge by disconnecting certain loads—features that draw power—from the battery power supply. This allows the batteries to maintain enough of a charge to restart the vehicle.
Features that draw power are prioritized into different categories:
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House loads: This includes the majority of dash and sleeper power outlets, sleeper reading and spot lamps, and sleeper auxiliary fans.
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Basic loads: This includes power for fleet management systems and third party telematics as well as critical dash and sleeper power outlets.
By making noncritical features that draw power temporarily unavailable, powernet management allows the driver to continue using critical features.
Progressive low voltage disconnect (PLVD) is used to implement the powernet management feature.
PLVD calculates disconnecting loads based on battery voltage, ignition switch status, and engine rpm. When battery voltage drops below a predetermined value, house loads are turned off. One minute before house loads are turned off, a pop-up message will display in the ICU and an audible alarm will sound.
The front reading lamp, spot lamp, and sleeper lamps—designated as house loads—can be turned back on after being shutdown by PLVD by pressing on the light or light switch.
No alarm sounds before basic loads are turned off.
A time delay is implemented for the shutdown and reactivation of loads to avoid unnecessary cycling when battery voltage is close to shutdown thresholds.
Loads disconnected by the PLVD will reconnect when all of the following conditions are met:
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ignition ON;
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engine at 450 rpm or above;
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batteries reach and maintain 12.7 volts for one minute.