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Voltage Reduction System - Second Generation
Voltage Reduction System (VRS) is a device that is designed for saving energy through reducing the voltage delivered to specific types of lamps. Metal halide lamps along with some other types of lamps, designed for a specific voltage, will turn on with that voltage but after a determined "Warm-up Period" the voltage delivered to them can be reduced by as much as 50 percent and the light that the lamps produce is only reduced by as little as 10 percent.
The first generation of VRS can provide up to 20 Amperes of current. My assignment in this project was to design a secondary board that is compatible with the first generation's controller board and enables VRS to provide up to 100 Amperes in current. In the design of the hardware of the second generation this limit is virtually removed. The device uses the same controller card as the first generation and can provide as much current as needed based on the contactors that are used in a given version. The only thing that limits the current is the contactor type that is chosen, given the contactor's coil current is less than 8 Amperes. The Firmware was also updated to support contactors.