More advanced component is smaller, lighter and lower-cost
Leoni, the leading European provider of cables and cable systems to the automotive sector and other industries, will present a new type of power Y-splitter on its stand at the International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt (Stand D08 in Hall 4.1). The component ensures a safe and low-resistance connection of auxiliary units in a high-voltage wiring system.
Leoni has extended its range of high-voltage components to include a compact and robust product that simplifies the wiring of hybrid and electric vehicles. The new Y-splitter securely and in a space-saving way splits the power between two high-voltage units, as is becoming ever more necessary in HV architectures. For example, it will split the power between the air conditioning compressor and the electric heater. The component is currently set up for 800 volts.
High-voltage wiring systems use shielded cables to ensure their electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and, in the event of a fault, to conduct the short circuit current until it triggers the melting fuse. Due to the full harness integration, Leoni’s new Y-splitter does away with fault-prone connectors and thereby enables a safe and reliable connection for the load carrying cables. It also registers lower resistance of less than 6 milliohm at the contact transition from the 360-degree braided shield of the cable to the splitter’s housing. Thanks to the mechanical decoupling, the all-round contact furthermore gives the cable strain relief across the jacket.
The multilayered hybrid housing, made of metal and plastic, will fulfill the EMC requirements and also provides protection against environmental influences. An additional potential equalisation as well as monitoring by means of a high-voltage interlock loop (HVIL) are not required. That makes the Y-splitter significantly smaller, lighter and more cost effective.
The product is currently designed for twin-core, high-voltage silicone cables with a conductor cross section of 2 × 6 mm². Thanks to the splitter’s simple construction, it can be scaled to such other cross sections as 2 × 2.5 mm² or 2 × 4 mm² as well as for single-core cables. The Y-splitter can also be adapted to customer requirements in terms of temperature resistance.
