InPower has designed its power-switching products to be rugged, compact, and, above all, highly flexible so that we can tailor their operation to your needs. These products come in different shapes and sizes and are designed to fill different applications, but they all have the same DNA.
We have previously discussed the lower-amperage products, beginning with the incredibly flexible VCM, and moving through the VCMS, Reflex, and VCMS2 lines. These products excel at controlling smaller loads of up to 15 or 20 amps at a time. But what about bigger loads that need up to 70 amps?
Introducing the biggest brother of Inpower’s family tree of switching products: The HDVCM
InPower now has the “Heavy Duty” VCM (HDVCM) for your bigger needs. This family of modules lives up to its name, with larger 1/4-20 power studs to handle larger power cables and ring terminals that need more torque. Inside, it has a beefier power circuit to match. And, of course, it’s still solid-state, with no contacts or coils to burn out or fail. Best of all, we can still program it to meet your needs, just like with its little brothers.
The HDVCM can still be run as a Latching Relay, On-Delay, Off-Delay, One-Shot, or other custom functions to meet your specific environment. A typical application might be to turn on a heater but then keep it on for a set interval before shutting it off—something that could be done with more conventional relays, but with a lot more expense in wiring and a much greater risk of failing.
The family has a couple of other tricks too.
InPower also has a dual-output version, the HD2VCM, which splits the 70-amp capability into two 35-amp outputs that can be switched separately or together. You could effectively have two different modules running in the same package this way, saving valuable installation space, wiring, and cost. The outputs can be set to entirely different behaviors too.
With so many electrical loads now running on vehicles, battery drain concerns are a growing concern. Almost all electronics have to remain “awake” at least a little bit in order to respond instantly to changes in conditions. This means they have to draw some form of what is known as quiescent current. Over a long enough period, this can run your batteries down. We all know the problem. If we let a car sit for more than a few weeks in the driveway, the car’s OEM electronics can flatline even a good battery.
Special versions of the HDVCM and HD2VCM were designed with this issue in mind. The HDVCM-15 and HD2VCM-15 are built to draw a fraction of the quiescent current typical of other devices. They can be used to control loads in applications where a vehicle might sit for long periods or where there are simply too many other quiescent draws on a system already.
If you have used our VCM, VCMS, or Reflex products before, you already know how flexible we can be with them. If you have higher-power applications, quiescent current issues, or just need a bit more oomph for your electrical loads, check out the HDVCM family.
