Automotive Smart Fuse Aids in Diagnosing Intermittent Shorts (Part 2) (Download)

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In the first part of this series, we examined the smart fuse and its functionality. Here we continue the explanation of how the fused current-pass transistors are selected and monitored via thermistors and the code algorithm to safely control the load current. We also will delve into how the smart fuse incorporates all required components of a formal data-acquisition system in order to understand the electrical current usage profile for the fused load that’s been causing pesky, intermittent shorts in my BMW.

Perhaps the nature of the current flow will clue us in as to where, exactly, the fault may lie…information we can glean from the smart fuse even when the intermittent short is NOT present.