Interface & Cartridge Architecture

Electrical Interfaces govern the transfer, distribution, isolation, measurement, and control of electrical energy.

Each Electrical Interface shall declare:

system type;

nominal and maximum voltage;

AC or DC operation;

frequency where applicable;

maximum continuous current;

short-duration current;

fault-current rating;

phase configuration;

polarity;

conductor count and function;

grounding and bonding arrangement;

insulation class;

overcurrent protection requirements;

arc and shock protection;

environmental protection class;

permitted connection and disconnection conditions.

Power interfaces shall be physically keyed and visually identified to prevent connection between incompatible voltage, current, frequency, or grounding classes.

Protective grounding or bonding shall engage before energized conductors and disengage after energized conductors where sequential engagement is required for safety.

A power interface shall not become energized solely because physical contact has occurred. Energization may require confirmed seating, locking, ground continuity, insulation verification, identity validation, authorization, and successful diagnostic checks.

Where live disconnection is prohibited, the interface shall require isolation before release. Mechanical interlocks, electrical interlocks, Building BIOS authorization, or a combination of controls may enforce the required sequence.

Electrical interfaces shall define whether overcurrent, ground-fault, arc-fault, surge, thermal, and leakage protection is provided by the supplying side, consuming side, interface assembly, or a coordinated combination.

Connector temperatures shall be monitored or periodically inspected where resistance growth could produce hazardous heating. Safety-critical or high-current interfaces should support detection of incomplete engagement, abnormal resistance, or thermal degradation.

Low-voltage control, communication, and sensor conductors shall be separated from power conductors as required to control interference, insulation risk, and fault propagation.

Electrical Interfaces located in replaceable Cartridges shall support safe isolation without disturbing unrelated building circuits whenever practicable.

The platform shall ultimately establish defined electrical interface families rather than one connector for every application. Voltage classes, current classes, pin arrangements, connector geometry, conductor requirements, and applicable regulatory mappings remain TBD.