Switches: The current flow switches/contactors 350 may be mechanical switches suitable for manual control, and/or relay- or transistor-based switches which may provide for software-based control of the current flow in exemplary adaptable power stage 300. As is known in the art, a current flow (CF) switch 350 (whether manual contactor, relay, or transistor-based) which is in a “closed state” or “closed position” provides for current flow through the switch; while a CF switch/contactor 350 which is in an “open state” completely prevents any current flow through the CF switch 350.
By suitable selection of various, respective open and closed states for respective CF switches/contactors SW1 through SW9 and SW14 through SW16, the A-PS 300 is field configurable. “Field configurable” means that the A-PS 300 is adaptable for operational changes while being part of an A-PEBB LRU 200.A which is installed for operational use on board a ship or other electrical system 100.
MCU: In some embodiments, the A-PS 300 may include a power stage microcontroller unit (MCU?) 327, which may for example be a microprocessor with suitable memory, firmware, and I/O ports. The MCU?327 may provide various control functions for the A-PS 300. In particular, if some or all of the CF switches 350 can be remotely and/or automatically switched on or off (for example, either relays or transistor-based switches), then MCU?327 may function to open or close various CF switches 350 to change between various conversion modes (CM.n) 392 of the A-PS 300.