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Keep it in the Family

Jul 9, 2024

One size may not fit all, but one design philosophy certainly can cover a lot of ground. At InPower we use the same design philosophy for all our switching products. It doesn’t matter whether they handle large or small electrical loads, they all have the same core ideals at every scale—consistency of operation, efficiency of design, and the flexible “smarts” to program them to fit the job.     

We like to think of them as InPower’s family tree of products. While each product may offer different capabilities, they were all built with similar ‘DNA.’ Let’s take a look at the members:  

  • VCM Smart Relay: A deceptively simple family of timers for single loads under 15 amps 
  • Reflex, VCMS, and VCMS2: Reprogrammable modules for integrated systems controlling multiple loads 
  • HD-VCM: A rugged product series for moderate current demands (35 amps up to 70 amps) 
  • SSC Contactors: DC contactors used for large loads (100 amps up to 300 amps) 
  • Low Voltage Disconnect (LVD): A range of modules modules that shut off loads to extend your battery life. 

While diverse in ability, the products in this family tree are more alike than you might think once you jump into the design. This commonality in design philosophy should give you confidence when building your system. 

Customizable Electromechanical Relays 

At first look, our VCM Smart Relays, appear to be solid-state versions of standard electro-mechanical relays. But when you look further, you’ll see they have microprocessors inside that can be programmed in nearly unlimited ways depending on need. For example, we can: 

  • Put in timers—from milliseconds to hours—to control when the VCM turns on or off. 
  • Program in latching functions, “one-shot” functions, or combinations of features.   

Each of our product lines within this series expands your options for what you can do in your design now and helps you plan for the future. If you multiply your I/O and power circuits, you get our original VCMS series. This is like having up to 6 smart relays in a single compact board. When you make the VCM IP67-rated, you have our Reflex line. Multiply the Reflex and that’s where our VCMS2 modules come into play, giving you 8 programmable smart controls in less space than you would need for conventional relays. 

Need higher currents?  

Our HD-VCM series can handle mid-range loads—35 or 70 amps—with all the same flexibility and intelligence as the VCM and doesn’t need much more installation space. These products can offer the same latching, one-shot, timer delays, and other functions as the VCM, just scaled up for when you need more overhead. Our SSC21 and SSC3 series of contactors will take you one step further, providing models capable of handling 100-300 amps depending on your application.   

Want to shut off loads and extend your battery life?  

Yeah, our VCM series can do that too. Our VCM12 line works for smaller loads, and its cousins in the larger-model, LVD3 series can be programmed similarly. They can handle up to 300 amps.  

The common thread throughout these products is the ease with which we can tailor them to your application. All you need to do is decide how much current you need to control, and how you want to intelligently control it. The rest is in the software.  

Every product in the InPower family tree has programmable intelligence built into rugged and dependable hardware. That means our products fit your designs at scales both large and small.  

Contact us today to discuss your next project and learn how InPower’s family tree of switching products can help. 

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