135 results about "Ground and neutral" patented technology

A power line coupler for communicating data signals over a power distribution system having a first and second overhead energized medium voltage power line conductors is provided. In one embodiment, the coupler includes a first lightening arrestor having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first arrestor is connected to the first power line conductor. The coupler further includes a first high frequency impedance having a first end connected to the second end of the first lightening arrestor and the first impedance having a second end connected to a neutral conductor of the power line distribution system. The coupler may further include a second lightening arrestor having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the second arrestor is connected to the second power line conductor. The coupler further including a second high frequency impedance having a first end connected to the second end of the second lightening arrestor and a second end connected to the neutral conductor. The first high frequency impedance and the second high frequency impedance may each comprise an air core coil that forms an inductor. The coupler may further include a balun having a first winding and a second winding, wherein the first winding is coupled to a communication device, and wherein the second winding has a first end connected to the first end of the first high frequency impedance and a second end connected to the first end of the second high frequency impedance.

A method and device for providing communications via one or more underground power lines is provided. Underground power lines may comprise a plurality of segments disposed in series with each other and carrying a power having a voltage greater than one thousand volts on an internal conductor, and wherein each segment is coaxial in structure and includes a neutral conductor. In one embodiment, the device may comprise a first inductor having a first end connected to a first node and a second end connected to ground, a second inductor having a first end connected a second node and a second end connected to ground, and a transformer having a first winding having a first end and a second end. The first node may be connected to a neutral conductor of a first segment of the power line and to the first end of the first winding of said transformer. The second node may be connected to a neutral conductor of a second segment of the power line and to the second end of the first winding of said transformer. The transformer comprises a second winding configured to be communicatively coupled to a communication device.

The present invention is directed to an electrical device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load. The electrical distribution system includes at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor. The line neutral conductor is connected to the line ground conductor at a termination point in the electrical distribution system. The electrical load includes at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor. The device includes a grounding confirmation circuit that includes at least one signal generator that directs at least one test signal into a current path that includes at least the line ground conductor. The grounding confirmation circuit is configured to determine a ground continuity status of the current path based on at least one ground continuity measurement. The circuit interrupter is prevented from entering the reset state if the at least one ground continuity measurement does not meet a predefined quality threshold. The at least one ground continuity measurement being a function of the at least one electrical load parameter after the circuit interrupter is in the reset state.

The present invention is directed to a protective device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load. The electrical distribution system includes at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor. The line neutral conductor is connected to the line ground conductor at a termination point in the electrical distribution system. The electrical load includes at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor, the device comprises a conditioning circuit configured to monitor a differential current flowing through the plurality of line termination elements and configured to generate a conditioning signal in response thereto. The conditioning signal propagates in a path formed by the line neutral conductor and the line ground conductor to thereby reduce a differential current propagating in the at least one line hot conductor and the line neutral conductor. The conditioning circuit also is configured to neutralize a substantial portion of a current associated with a non-fault related electrical perturbation.

An electrical connection system designed to connect electrical conductors to a junction box containing a receptacle. The system incorporates a junction box, a supply connector, a distribution connector, and a receptacle. The junction box includes a line bus, a ground bus, and a neutral bus. The supply connector adapts the incoming electrical wire having a line conductor, a ground conductor, and a neutral conductor for connection to the line bus, the ground bus, and the neutral bus. The electrical receptacle is formed with a line blade, a ground blade, and a neutral blade which, respectively, electrically connect to the line bus, the ground bus, and the neutral bus. Electrical energy may be supplied through the electrical conductors to the electrical receptacle. A distribution connector may be incorporated to supply electrical energy to downstream receptacles.

The present invention is directed to an electrical device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load. The electrical distribution system includes at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor. The line neutral conductor and the line ground conductor are connected to earth ground at a termination point in the electrical distribution system. The electrical load includes at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor. The device comprises a power supply coupled to the power input mechanism. The power supply comprises at least one DC voltage output terminal and a reference terminal coupled to the line ground termination element. A voltage parameter detection circuit is configured to take a first voltage reading from a first termination element of the plurality of line termination elements and a second voltage reading from a second termination element of the plurality of line termination elements to derive at least one voltage parameter therefrom. The first voltage reading and the second voltage reading are referenced to the reference terminal. The circuit interrupter is driven into the tripped state if the at least one voltage parameter does not meet a predetermined condition, the voltage parameter detection circuit being operational when the reference terminal is not at an earth ground potential.

In one embodiment, a universal electrical module is provided that facilitates the quick and safe installation of different types of electrical devices in an electrical box by enabling a technician to simply insert prongs extending from the electrical devices into matching slots on a first face of the universal electrical module. The universal electrical module is connected to the hot, ground and neutral wires of the building circuit by means of a bus on a second face of the module, and may be produced in different sizes to support one or more electrical devices. Additionally, meter reading slots may be provided on the first face to enable meter reading from the front face of the module. In another embodiment, an electrical device is provided that comprises a plurality of prongs extending from the device, wherein each of the prongs is structured to mate with a slot on an electrical module.

The present invention is directed to an electrical device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load. The electrical distribution system includes at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor. The line neutral conductor and the line ground conductor are connected to earth ground at a termination point in the electrical distribution system. The electrical load includes at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor. The device comprises a power supply coupled to the power input mechanism. The power supply comprises at least one DC voltage output terminal and a reference terminal coupled to the line ground termination element. A voltage parameter detection circuit is configured to take a first voltage reading from a first termination element of the plurality of line termination elements and a second voltage reading from a second termination element of the plurality of line termination elements to derive at least one voltage parameter therefrom. The first voltage reading and the second voltage reading are referenced to the reference terminal. The circuit interrupter is driven into the tripped state if the at least one voltage parameter does not meet a predetermined condition, the voltage parameter detection circuit being operational when the reference terminal is not at an earth ground potential.

A safety device can provide electrical shock protection for an electrical appliance. Voltage sensors can monitor voltage levels among a power conductor, a neutral conductor, and a ground conductor. When sensed voltages indicate that these conductors are properly wired to an electrical power utility, inline switches can close to allow power to pass through the safety device to the appliance. When one or more of the sensed voltages indicates that the power level is too low to operate the appliance, one or more switches of the safety device can open to block power from passing through to the appliance. When one or more of the sensed voltages indicates that an electrical problem posing a shock hazard exists in the electrical appliance, one or more switches of the safety device can open to interrupt power from transmitting to the appliance.

A circuit interrupter includes separable contacts, a neutral conductor, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, and a plurality of current sensors structured to sense at least current flowing through the separable contacts. Each of the current sensors includes a primary winding and a secondary winding, the primary winding being electrically connected in series with the separable contacts. A trip mechanism is structured to cooperate with the secondary winding of the current sensors and the operating mechanism to trip open the separable contacts. A test circuit tests the current sensors and the trip mechanism. The test circuit is structured to apply a test signal directly to the secondary winding of each of the current sensors.

An overvoltage protection device for protection of low voltage electrical installations, has a device base part with terminals for phase conductors and ground or neutral conductors and at least one overvoltage protection element, with at least one arrester which is located in a housing. The base part of the device has at least one telecommunications contact which has a switch for remote indication of the state of at least one overvoltage protection element, the base part of the device having plug contacts which are connected to the terminals, and the overvoltage protection element having corresponding connector contacts so that the overvoltage protection element can be plugged onto the base part of the device. The overvoltage protection device is improved by the overvoltage protection element having an optical status display and the optical status display and the switch of the telecommunications contact being actuated via a common mechanical actuating system.

A single electric vehicle charger for electrically connecting to multiple electric vehicles simultaneously while automatically charging the multiple electric vehicles sequentially. The charger includes an AC to DC rectifier, at least one ground fault circuit interrupter, and at least two physical electrical disconnects. The AC to DC rectifier electrically connects to an AC power source and allows DC batteries of the multiple electric vehicles to be charged from the AC power source. The at least one ground fault circuit interrupter is in electrical communication with the AC to DC rectifier and disconnects whenever current becomes unbalanced between an energized conductor and a return neutral conductor. The at least two physical electrical disconnects are in electrical communication with the at least one ground fault circuit interrupter and isolate the multiple electric vehicles that are electrically connected but are not being charged, with only one physical electrical disconnect being closed at any given instant.

A circuit interrupting device having a reverse wiring protection function is disclosed. The circuit interrupting device includes a housing having a cover and a base, a mounting plate, and an electrical component mounting member, a pair of input hot and neutral conductors and a pair of output hot and neutral conductors, a differential transformer for detecting a leakage current, a disconnecting mechanism for connecting and disconnecting the output conductors to and from input conductors, and a mechanism for preventing reverse wiring, which includes a coil connected to the input hot and neutral conductors and a moveable piece that moves when the coil is energized. The input and output conductors are electrically connected only when the coil is energized by correctly connecting the power wires to the input conductors of the device. This device thus provides both leakage current protection and reverse wiring protection that protects against incorrect wiring during installation.

A leakage current detection interrupter (LCDI) having open neutral detection. In one embodiment, the LCDI is formed in a plug and includes a circuit interrupter means for breaking a conductive path between line side phase and neutral conductors and load side phase and neutral conductors. A tripping means is coupled to operate the circuit interrupter means to break the conductive path upon the detection of the opening of the line side neutral conductor referred to as open neutral condition. The tripping means, which uses the neutral path as a return path if leakage current is detected, will, with this invention, use a line side ground conductor as a return path if the neutral path is broken anywhere between a service panel entrance and the plug. In response to the opening of the line side neutral conductor or leakage current, the LCDI interrupts the flow of current to a load such as a window air conditioner.

The present invention is directed to an electrical device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load. The electrical distribution system includes at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor. The line neutral conductor is connected to the line ground conductor at a termination point in the electrical distribution system. The electrical load includes at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor. The device includes a grounding confirmation circuit that includes at least one signal generator that directs at least one test signal into a current path that includes at least the line ground conductor. The grounding confirmation circuit is configured to determine a ground continuity status of the current path based on at least one ground continuity measurement. The circuit interrupter is prevented from entering the reset state if the at least one ground continuity measurement does not meet a predefined quality threshold. The at least one ground continuity measurement being a function of the at least one electrical load parameter after the circuit interrupter is in the reset state.

A solar power plant with a plurality of photovoltaic modules for generating a power to be fed in a multi-phase grid, several photovoltaic strings, which are allocated to different phases, being connected to a primary side of a mains transformer and at least one inverter for converting the direct voltage generated by the photovoltaic modules into an alternating mains voltage conforming to the grid being provided and said mains transformer being provided with a neutral conductor and with a grounded terminal, is intended to be improved in such a manner that the life of the photovoltaic modules, in particular in case of thin-film modules, is increased, allowing for high conversion efficiency of the inverters at low wiring costs. This is achieved in that an additional direct voltage source is inserted between the neutral conductor and ground in such a manner that the potential of the photovoltaic strings is displaced and that a bias voltage is set, which is different from zero volt.

A device and method for testing an electrical power branch circuit that includes hot, neutral and protective ground conductors and that carries alternating current. The device includes circuitry for determining the total available short-circuit current that can be carried by the neutral conductor, circuitry for determining the total available ground-fault current that can be carried by the protective ground conductor, and circuitry that, based on at least one of the determined short-circuit current and the determined ground-fault current, applies a short-circuit or ground-fault current to the electrical power branch circuit.

In one embodiment, a universal electrical module is provided that facilitates the quick and safe installation of different types of electrical devices in an electrical box by enabling a technician to simply insert prongs extending from the electrical devices into matching slots on a first face of the universal electrical module. The universal electrical module is connected to the hot, ground and neutral wires of the building circuit by means of a bus on a second face of the module, and may be produced in different sizes to support one or more electrical devices. Additionally, meter reading slots may be provided on the first face to enable meter reading from the front face of the module. In another embodiment, an electrical device is provided that comprises a plurality of prongs extending from the device, wherein each of the prongs is structured to mate with a slot on an electrical module.

In the present invention the basic detection and interruption components of an Immersion Detection Circuit Interrupter (IDCI), in combination with the line, neutral and shield conductors of an extension or appliance cord provides a new improved type of detector, a Leakage Current Detector Interrupter (LCDI) which interrupts current to a load when current leakage is detected between the line or neutral conductors of the cord and the shield conductor. The new improved LCDI detector provides, either singularly or in combination, the following advantages: Prevents the LCDI from being reset should the device become inoperative (reset lockout); Provides an indication of the integrity of the shield in the extension or appliance cord; Tests the integrity of the shield within the extension or appliance cord, in addition to testing the functionality of the LCDI; Interrupts current to the load if an electrical connection is detected between the shield and neutral, or the shield and ground, in addition to the existing detection of leakage current from the phase conductor; Allows the LCDI to trip during an open neutral condition by utilizing the ground connection as a return wire for the trip coil; and / or Provides immersion detection at the receptacle end of the extension cord in addition to protection from leakage faults.

The present invention is directed to a protective device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load. The electrical distribution system includes at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor. The line neutral conductor is connected to the line ground conductor at a termination point in the electrical distribution system. The electrical load includes at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor, the device comprises a conditioning circuit configured to monitor a differential current flowing through the plurality of line termination elements and configured to generate a conditioning signal in response thereto. The conditioning signal propagates in a path formed by the line neutral conductor and the line ground conductor to thereby reduce a differential current propagating in the at least one line hot conductor and the line neutral conductor. The conditioning circuit also is configured to neutralize a substantial portion of a current associated with a non-fault related electrical perturbation.

A surge suppression circuit with a thermal cutoff includes a first surge suppressor in series with a first thermal cutoff device between a phase conductor and a neutral conductor. A second surge suppressor in series with a second thermal cutoff device is between the phase conductor and a ground conductor. A third surge suppressor is in series with a low temperature thermal cutoff device between the neutral conductor and the ground conductor. The thermal cutoff temperature of the low temperature thermal cutoff device is lower than the thermal cutoff temperature of the first thermal cutoff device.

A power line communications system (PLCS) that provides communications to one or more user devices by repeating data packets on the power distribution network is provided. The PLCS may employ any or all of the MV power line conductors and / or the neutral conductor and be dynamically and remotely transitioned to one of a plurality of potential configurations.

A circuit breaker includes separable contacts; a load conductor; a neutral conductor; and an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts. An arc fault trip circuit cooperates with the operating mechanism and trips open the separable contacts responsive to detection of an arc fault condition associated with current flowing through the separable contacts. A ground fault trip circuit cooperates with the operating mechanism and is structured to trip open the separable contacts responsive to detection of a ground fault condition associated with current flowing through the separable contacts, the load conductor and the neutral conductor. The arc fault trip circuit includes an integration capacitor, and the ground fault trip circuit includes an output to the integration capacitor.

The coupler of the present invention couples data signals, such as broadband RF signals, to and from a power line. The coupler of one embodiment that is for use with overhead power lines includes a length of URD MV cable with the neutral conductor removed. Each end of the URD cable is communicatively coupled to the MV power line conductor a predetermined distance from other. The distance between the two connections points on the MV may be related to the wavelength of a carrier frequency used to communicate the data signals. The URD cable may also form part of a transformer to permit the passage of data signals while preventing the flow of the high voltage power signals through the coupler. The neutral semi-conductive jacket of the URD cable may be coupled to ground via a low frequency conductive path.

An arc fault circuit interrupter includes separable contacts, a neutral conductor, an operating mechanism structured to open and close the separable contacts, at least one current sensor structured to sense current flowing through the separable contacts and output a sensed current value; and a processor. The processor includes a first routine structured to provide parallel arc fault detection, a second routine structured to provide series arc fault detection, and a third routine structured to enable the first routine and disable the second routine for a predetermined time when the sensed current value is greater than a predetermined value and to enable the second routine and disable the first routine for the predetermined time when the sensed current value is less than the predetermined value.

Apparatus for protecting a two-line electric power distribution system includes a circuit breaker pole in each line. Each pole includes a fault detector generating a fault signal in response to either an arc fault or a ground fault in the protected line, and a trip unit responsive to the fault signal. Each trip unit includes a trip coil and an SCR connected in series at a node with the trip coil connected to the neutral conductor and the SCR connected to the associated line conductor. A jumper connects the two nodes together directly without electrical isolation so that a fault signal from either detector energizes both trip coils to open both poles in response to an arc fault or a ground fault in either line, even if one of the line conductors is not energized.

Methods and apparatus to facilitate ground fault detection with a single coil and an oscillator are disclosed. An example ground fault detection device includes a sense coil including a secondary winding surrounding a line conductor and a neutral conductor, the line conductor and the neutral conductor forming a primary winding. The example ground fault detection device also includes a voltage oscillator connected in series with the secondary winding to drive an oscillation component, and at least one of a detector or an amplifier connected in series with the secondary winding to detect at least one of a neutral-to-ground fault or a line-to-ground fault.