Arduino controlled circuit breaker for camper trailer power circuits

Projects General Guidance
1

Ok, so i am gutting my old camper trailer and turning it into a CNC router workshop. I got thinking, wouldn't it be handy to have an Arduino handle the whole of the remaining camper functions, such as monitoring battery volts, and 12V circuit over-current shutdown (possibly even AC as well).

the "breakers" will be relays, and i will use fuses rated for the relay capability as a backup. the idea will be a programmable breaker point, anywhere between 0A (circuit unused) and a little under the backup fuse value.

The current will not be huge, as i will mainly use the 12V for lighting, and whatever else i build in.

the current sensor will likely be something like THIS. for AC current, i will use a split-core sensor.

Ok, now the question i have is will the relays be able to interrupt a shorted circuit, without welding themselves? i will have fuses as backups, but i want to make sure.

I haven't any code yet, nor do i have a schematic, as i am first checking the feasibility first. I don't plan on blowing a lot of fuses. i just thought it would be a neat project to work on.

Thanks in advance for any help :smiley:

~Travis

2

What over-current situation are you expecting?

3

circuit breakers area whole different world.
a common breaker trips when some level of current is exceeded.

an automotive circuit breaker is automatically reset once the short is removed.

you can add a relay, but you are adding complexity and power consumption.

to answer your question, there is no reason you could not monitor power, and at some point open a circuit with a relay.

Then the next question is how you know the fault cleared ?

4

Definate possibility of welding a relay contact and not being able to switch it off. Circuit breakers and contactors/relays are not the same thing. Would be easier to use breakers to handle the overcurrent and contactors/relays to do the switching.