AIRCRAFT

MAINTENANCE MANUAL

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ELECTRICAL POWER

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Introduction
The EPGDS (Electrical-Power Generation-and-Distribution System)
generates and supplies AC (Alternating Current) and DC (Direct
Current) power to the airplane. The EPGDS also supplies automatic
and manual controls for the flight crew.
Appropriate generating channel physical and electrical segregation is
implemented to ensure the loss of one generator channel does not
affect another generator channel. All components are designed to
prevent abnormal system disturbances during normal system operation,
including load switching and power transfers. On the ground, provided
paralleling conditions can be achieved and no fault conditions exist,
main AC power source transfers are NBPT (No-Break Power
Transfer)s. In the air, all main AC power source transfers are of a BPT
(Break Power Transfer) type. Should the main AC sources be
unavailable, the RAT (Ram Air Turbine) automatically deploys for
emergency power operation (a manual deployment option is also
available). Load shedding functions are automatic and fault clearing
protective functions are coordinated with system fuses and breakers.
An APU (Auxiliary Power Unit) start capability is accomplished through
battery 2 or through the DC external power interface.
The system is designed to reduce the possible effects of extraneous
voltage pickup within the system and associated wiring so that
abnormal system operation and unnecessary outage are eliminated.
The system is designed to operate with any combination of one up to
two inoperative channels, without loss of any protective and control
functions for the operative channels. Remaining power sources
automatically assume loads for a channel experiencing an inoperative
generator, provided the respective load bus is not locked out for
protection purposes. The system provides means to prevent cycling of
the contactors when a fault exists. The system resets after a fault by
moving the associated control switch to the inactive position and then
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MAINTENANCE MANUAL
back to the active position, or through a power-up reset of the
associated controller. If the fault remains, the system remains tripped.
The system provides protection against any unsafe condition. The
system also provides all necessary protection to minimize or prevent
damage to itself or the aircraft during any normal or abnormal
operation. If a fault is detected, the affected channel is removed from
the bus with proper timing coordination between the system protection
trip threshold, fuses, and breakers. The system automatically provides
power from another available source according to the source priority
(provided the respective bus is not locked out for protection purposes).
All time delays are such that no nuisance operation occurs due to
engine speed transients, load transients, or other momentary
disturbances, and are controlled under all specified conditions of
voltage, temperature, vibration, and altitude.
The system incorporates protection against voltage, frequency,
overcurrent, and phase sequence abnormalities. The protection for the
main channel generators is contained in the respective GCU
(Generator Control Unit). The control circuits for external power
protection are contained in the EPM (External Power Module).
Additionally, the system incorporates DC external power protection
against overvoltage and reverse polarity, by means of a dedicated
voltage sense relay. The GCUs, EPM, and SPDA (Secondary Power
Distribution Assembly)s each contain software, including field
programmable gate array (FPGA), programmable logic devices (PLD),
and application specific integrated chips (ASIC).
General Description
The ELECTRICAL POWER includes these subsystems:
• AC GENERATION (AMM SDS 24-20-00/1)
• DC GENERATION (AMM SDS 24-30-00/1)
• EXTERNAL POWER (AMM SDS 24-40-00/1)
• AC ELECTRICAL LOAD DISTRI- (AMM SDS 24-50-00/1)
BUTION
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• DC ELECTRICAL LOAD DIS- (AMM SDS 24-60-00/1)
TRIBUTION
The electrical power control panel permits manual control of usual
automatic EPGDS operation.
Components
AC GENERATION (AMM SDS 24-20-00/1)
The AC (Alternating Current) generation system provides primary three-
phase, 30/40 kVA, 115/200 VAC, 400 Hz electrical AC power for the
aircraft AC loads, both in flight and on the ground. The AC generation
system also gives electrical AC power to the DC (Direct Current)
generation system to make electrical DC power for the aircraft DC
loads.
DC GENERATION (AMM SDS 24-30-00/1)
The DC (Direct Current) generation system supplies electrical power
(28 VDC (Volt Direct Current)) to the pieces of equipment that use DC
power during in-flight and ground operations. The system also charges
the batteries.
EXTERNAL POWER (AMM SDS 24-40-00/1)
The AC (Alternating Current) external power supply provides electrical
power for operations on the ground. The DC (Direct Current) external
power supply provides electrical power for APU (Auxiliary Power Unit)
starts.
AC ELECTRICAL LOAD DISTRIBUTION (AMM SDS 24-50-00/1)
The AC (Alternating Current) power distribution system provides AC
power to the aircraft loads during the normal operations on the ground
or in flight, or during the emergency operation in flight. The system also
provides protection against any unsafe condition.
DC ELECTRICAL LOAD DISTRIBUTION (AMM SDS 24-60-00/1)
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DC (Direct Current) power distribution allows for automatic and manual
switching of circuits and sources, automatic detection and isolation of
defective circuits, and transmission of data to related systems and
components.
Operation
The usual operation of the EPGDS is in the automatic mode, where the
electric power source selection for each bus is done automatically. A
manual off selection for each power source can be done by the flight
crew personnel through the electrical power control panel on the
cockpit overhead panel.
The power transfers, when the aircraft is in the air, are BPTs. The
EPGDS coordinates NBPTs on the ground. The NBPT allows
momentary paralleling between two AC power sources: the IDG
(Integrated Drive Generator)s, the external power and the APU
generator, at any possible combination. When the electrical power
control panel is in the usual (or automatic) positions, the EPGDS
selects from the available AC sources for power transfer in accordance
with the availability and bus priority rules. When a switch setting is
changed manually to the OFF position, a power transfer starts or a
contactor opens immediately if an automatic power transfer is not
otherwise possible. The allowed time delay for the system to achieve
the auto-paralleling condition, when NBPTs involve an IDG, is up to 5 s.
It can also take up to 15 s in NBPTs between the APU generator and
the GPU (Ground Power Unit). After achieving the auto-parallel
condition, the system is able to parallel the sources for a short period
(milliseconds). If the system does not achieve the auto-parallel
requirements within the allowed time delay, the transfer will be
concluded with a BPT of minimum power interruption.
The EPGDS communications scheme provides an interface with the
ASCB communication bus. This interface allows the EPGDS to acquire
system switch position information (such as weight on wheels) from the
MAU (Modular Avionics Unit)s and additionally allows the EPGDS to
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provide maintenance-related information to the CMC (Central
Maintenance Computer) and crew alert messages to CAS (Crew
Alerting System). The GCUs and EPM transmit and receive data as
needed for the EPGDS coordination via a dedicated 1553
communication bus. An independent CAN (Controller Area Network)
communication bus is provided to allow data to be transferred between
SPDAs. An ARINC 429 communication scheme is used to allow data to
be transmitted between the GCUs and SPDAs, as well as to allow data
to be transmitted between the SPDAs and MCDU (Multifunction Control
Display Unit)s. An additional ARINC 429 bus scheme is implemented to
allow AMS (Air Management System) data to be communicated
through SPDA 2. Another ARINC 429 interface is used to coordinate
APU start activity with the APU FADEC (Full-Authority Digital
Electronic-Control). An RS485 communication interface is provided on
the GCUs and EPM and an RS232 communication interface is provided
on the SPDAs for interrogation of the controllers during repair shop
visits.
Training Information Points
In order to detect and isolate faults that may occur during the EPGDS,
there are four types of BITE (Built-in Test Equipment)s:
• CBIT (Continuous Built-in Test)s: detect loss of function based on
cause and effect relationship and then isolates to the faulty LRU
(Line Replaceable Unit) or LRM (Line Replaceable Module) which
may have caused the loss of the related function. The continuous
BIT (Built-in Test) has no adverse affect on the EPGDS control
and protection functions. The GCUs, AGCU (Auxiliary Generator
Control Unit), EPM, and SPDA microprocessor modules have
CBIT capability.
to stimulate the internal circuitry and locate the faulty LRU or
LRM. The GCUs, AGCU, and EPM have FITs capability.
• Initiated Tests: are performed on power-up or upon a request from
the CMC. A PUIGST (Power-up Initiated Ground Self-test), or
PBIT (Power Up Built in Test), is initiated to test internal circuits
when power is first applied and no inhibit or interlock conditions
exist. The GCUs, AGCU, EPM, and SPDA ASCB (Avionics
Standard-Communication Bus) modules have PUIGST capability.
And a MIGST (Manual Initiated Ground Self Test) is performed, if
not inhibited, when a test command is received from the CMC.
The GCUs, AGCU, and EPM have MIGST capability. In each of
these tests, if a fault is detected, logic will isolate the faulty LRU or
LRM for reporting to the CMC.
• Operational Verification Tests: are activated when the EPGDS is
in a certain mode of operation. It checks specific redundant and
backup circuits that may not be activated under normal system
operation. The main GCUs have operational verification test
capability.
The figure ELECTRICAL POWER - COMMUNICATIONS BLOCK
DIAGRAM provides further data on the preceding text.

• FIT (Fault-initiated Test)s: are initiated whenever a protective trip

occurs that changes the EPGDS system configuration. System
parameters are stored in the NVM (Non-Volatile Memory) at the
time of and prior to the trip. Further LRU fault isolation is initiated
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LICC RICC

INTER − LRM (1553) AGCU

EPM
TX
RX MAU
RX
INTER − LRM INTER − LRM (1553)
(1553)
GCU 2
GCU 1
RX
ARINC 429
TX RX TX TX APU
RX FADEC

MCDU 1 MCDU 2
ARINC 429
TX RX RX TX ARINC 429
ARINC 429

ARINC 429 ARINC 429

RX TX RX TX RX RX TX RX TX RX TX

RX RX
PCI PCI RS422
TX TX

IEE1394 IEE1394
CAN BUS

SPDA1 RX TX SPDA 2 RX TX AMS

ARINC 429

ASCB

EM170SDS240045.DGN
MAU 1 MAU 2 MAU 3

ELECTRICAL POWER - COMMUNICATIONS BLOCK DIAGRAM

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