BY RUSS WALKER
Simply put, multiplexing enables the electronic and electrical components of an apparatus to communicate, or "talk," to each other in a new and more efficient manner. Instead of using a multitude of copper wires between each switch, relay, and component on the apparatus, individual solid-state modules, or "nodes," use microprocessors to communicate between each other to activate the selected circuit.
As shown in Figure 1, using conventional wiring, every switch in the system requires an individual copper wire from the switch to a relay to the device being activated. In some cases, for example, when the switch is in the cab and the device is in the rear of the truck, the quantity of wire and connections can be enormous, especially if several additional switches activate the same circuit. Every foot of wire and every connection is a potential problem area in which there may be a short circuit or a loose or corroded connection. These problems are the most common ones encountered in the apparatus electrical system.
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