Byron Hopps / circuit design, mechanical/electrical integration

If you organize a 1-on-1 with this person, then fill in the timeslot and your name in the table below.

Feb 22

Question 1: What are your thoughts on E-Fuses (BTS7080-1EPA or TPS1H160-Q1) vs traditional fuses for LV circuit protection?

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Question 2: What's the best lab equipment investment that you would recommend / the places you've worked have bought?

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Feb 21

Question 1: What are the most common causes for electrical failure during competition?

• People plugging the wrong connectors

  • fix with plugs that can’t be plugged in the wrong way

  • reverse voltage protection

    • PFET

      • zener diode for higher input voltage range

    • fuse for overcurrent

    • zener clamp

• Spraying water on the solar array (for keeping cool)

  • need appropriate drainage

• Not securing wires/cables

  • crimped connectors recommended

Question 2: Numerous teams have implemented sequential lighting. Do you have any advice for designing these?

• Specific board for sequencing

  • keep in mind things like turn signal vs hazards

• Need to be able to split LED arrays into segments.

Question 3: What would be the limiting factors in terms of electrical integration if making a solar powered EV larger than a cruiser (e.g: van for instance) ?

• Sun needs to be powering a significant portion of car during operation. Not possible with current technology.

• Solar panels need to improve (the hard part)

• Electric motors also need to improve (realistic)

Question 4: Apart from battery technology, what other key areas in the system do you think need the most innovation to make EVs more accessible to the consumer market?

• See above

• Electric power train; efficiency so high in electronics that active cooling is no longer required.

Question 5: What would you say would be the best ways to learn circuit design for people who are new to it, especially in a remote environment ?

• By doing - kinda hard in COVID though lol

• Doing layout/schematics

• “I wonder how xyz works” + simulations (ex. using LTSpice)

• Discrete logic/FPGAs instead of software control

• Talk to people and ask the right questions (leads/alumni e.t.c)

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