Patent ID: 8253269

Claim:
A vehicle battery disconnect comprising: a positive contactor operable between open and closed positions, the positive contactor operable to connect a positive terminal of a high voltage battery to a positive terminal of a traction motor while in the closed position, the positive contactor operable to disconnect the positive terminal of the high voltage battery from the positive terminal of the traction motor while in the open position; a negative contactor operable between open and closed positions, the negative contactor operable to connect a negative terminal of the high voltage battery to a negative terminal of the traction motor while in the closed position, the negative contactor operable to disconnect the negative terminal of the high voltage battery from the negative terminal of the traction motor while in the open position; an economizer operable to actuate the positive and negative contactors between the open and closed positions, the economizer having a first coil proximate the positive contactor and a second coil proximate the negative contactor, the first and second coils operable to receive a pull-in voltage to actuate the contactors from the open position to the closed position, the first and second coils operable to receive a holding voltage to maintain the contactors in the closed position, the holding voltage being less than the pull-in voltage; and the economizer having a plurality of switches operable to selectively connect the first and second coils in series and in parallel to a voltage source, the first and second coils being provided with the pull-in voltage when connected in parallel to the voltage source, the first and second coils being provided with the holding voltage when connected in series to the voltage source.