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Project Specification
Project Overview
  • Automotive 24 V PWM-to-voltage and relay interface for an EPEC EC44.
  • Status: Draft implementation.
Intended Use
  • 24 V vehicle/heavy-equipment electrical environment.
  • Converts two isolated 24 V PWM signals into nominal 0–5 V analog outputs and enables three relays only while an isolated heartbeat remains valid.
What the Device Should Do
  • Accept protected 24 V power.
  • Generate regulated logic power and a precision 5 V analog reference.
  • Isolate PWM1, PWM2, and heartbeat inputs.
  • Low-pass PWM1/PWM2 near 10 Hz, assuming PWM frequency ≥500 Hz.
  • Fail all relay coils OFF on heartbeat timeout or loss of 5 V control power.
  • Provide isolated open-collector relay-coil feedback.
Main Features
  • Fused, reverse-polarity-protected, TVS-clamped 24 V input.
  • LMR36520-family 65 V, 2 A buck regulator.
  • Precision 5 V reference and OPA4171-Q1 filtering.
  • TPS3823-50-Q1 watchdog and IRLZ44N low-side relay return switch.
  • Two Omron G6K DPDT relays and one TE automotive SPDT relay interface.
System Architecture

Text


24V IN -> fuse -> reverse diode -> protected 24V -> relay coils
                                      |-> 5V buck -> watchdog
                                      |-> 12V analog LDO -> op amp + 5V reference
PWM1/2 -> PC817 -> 5V_REF pull-up -> 2nd-order LPF -> analog outputs
Heartbeat -> PC817 -> TPS3823 WDI -> IRLZ44N -> RELAY_GND
40A relay coil voltage -> PC817 -> isolated FEEDBACK_OUT/RETURN
Hardware Subsystems
  • Input protection and power conversion.
  • Precision reference and analog filtering.
  • Three optically isolated command inputs.
  • Watchdog/MOSFET fail-safe relay driver.
  • Two low-signal DPDT relays and one high-current automotive SPDT relay connection.
  • Isolated coil feedback.
Interfaces and Connections
  • 24 V power input: +24V, GND.
  • PWM1, PWM2, heartbeat: each signal plus field return.
  • Analog outputs: AO1, AO2, GND.
  • Relay contacts: COM/NO/NC terminals for each pole/contact set.
  • Feedback: isolated open collector and isolated emitter return.
Power and Runtime Expectations
  • Continuous vehicle supply; no battery runtime requirement.
  • Relay coils remain on protected 24 V and are not powered by the 5 V reference.
Power Tree and Power Budget

Table


RailLoad estimateBudget
Protected 24 VTE 24 V coil ~56 mA; 2× G6K coils 9.2 mA; input opto LEDs up to 15 mA; converters<120 mA typical
12 V analogOPA4171-Q1 plus REF5050-Q1<10 mA
5 V buckTPS3823, optocoupler pull-ups, margin25 mA design budget
  • 0.5 A hold / 1 A trip, 60 V PPTC provides ample nominal margin, subject to automotive-temperature derating review.
  • LMR36520 2 A capability greatly exceeds the small-signal 5 V demand.
Manufacturing and Assembly Expectations
  • Professional mixed SMD/through-hole PCB assembly.
  • High-current relay contact connector/copper sizing must be finalized during layout; do not assume ordinary 5.08 mm terminals are suitable for 40 A.
Firmware-Relevant Hardware Requirements
  • None; watchdog is hardware-only. Heartbeat transitions must occur faster than the watchdog minimum timeout (0.9 s).
Physical Design Expectations
  • Keep TVS/protection at power entry.
  • Keep buck switch loop compact.
  • Keep reference/filter circuitry separated from relay and switch nodes.
  • Place flyback diodes at coil terminals and size high-current contact copper/connectors during PCB design.
Important Design Decisions
  • OPA4171-Q1 is powered from a dedicated nominal 12 V automotive LDO because a 5 V supply does not support accurate 0–5 V input/output operation.
  • REF3050 cannot regulate 5.000 V from an exact 5.000 V source; the implementation uses an automotive REF5050-Q1 from the 12 V analog rail.
  • Unity-gain Sallen-Key filters use R1=R2=113 kΩ, C1=200 nF, C2=100 nF for approximately 9.96 Hz and Q≈0.707.
  • Exact library availability limitations are recorded in Design Notes.
Assumptions
  • PWM and heartbeat field inputs are nominal 24 V and share a field return only on the LED side of the optocouplers.
  • Input PWM frequency is at least 500 Hz.
  • Heartbeat toggles at least once per 0.9 s under all healthy conditions.
  • High-current relay contacts require a connector solution rated for the actual load, selected in PCB/mechanical design.
Change Notes
  • Initial complete schematic architecture and engineering constraints captured.
  • Project Overview

  • Intended Use

  • What the Device Should Do

  • Main Features

  • System Architecture

  • Hardware Subsystems

  • Interfaces and Connections

  • Power and Runtime Expectations

  • Power Tree and Power Budget

  • Manufacturing and Assembly Expectations

  • Firmware-Relevant Hardware Requirements

  • Physical Design Expectations

  • Important Design Decisions

  • Assumptions

  • Change Notes

24V PWM Interface & Relay Board

24V PWM Interface & Relay Board thumbnail
Automotive 24V PWM-to-0–5V interface with isolated inputs, fail-safe heartbeat watchdog, and relay switching for an EPEC EC44 safety system.

Properties

Automotive

ISO 26262

24

V

Pricing & Availability

Distributor

Qty 1

Arrow

$17.21–$29.80

Digi-Key

$10.66–$10.86

HQonline

$6.41–$6.54

LCSC

$20.92–$21.73

Mouser

$39.43–$39.87

TME

$8.94

Verical

$15.15–$27.42

Controls