Eaton Intelligent Power Limited

Gaton Corporation

David McClanahan

Charles John Luebke

Steven Christopher Schmalz

Joseph Michael Manahan

Joseph Charles Zuercher

Benjamin Avery Freer

An electrical connector testing system can include a first connector end and a controller coupled to first connector end. The system can also include an electrical load coupled to the first connector end, where the electrical load includes an electrical cable and a second connector end coupled to an end of the electrical cable. The controller can determine whether an adverse electrical condition exists with respect to the electrical load before allowing power to flow between the first connector end and the second connector end.

Systems and methods for testing electrical connectors

An arc fault circuit interrupter detector circuit including a super regenerative high frequency receiver is described herein. In one exemplary, non-limiting embodiment, a current measure component determines that a current noise signal within a circuit breaker is occurring at a particular frequency of interest. The super regenerative high frequency receiver receives the current noise signal and, via an oscillator circuit, causes the signal to ramp to a quench voltage, dissipate, and repeat. A microcontroller in communication with the super regenerative high frequency receiver measures a time period of the oscillator circuit's oscillations, and determines an amplitude of the current noise signal based, at least in part, on the time period. If it is determined that the amplitude of the input current signal at the frequency of interest corresponds to an arc fault event, a trip signal is generated to trip the circuit, quenching the arc fault event.

Arc fault circuit interrupter detector systems including super regenerative high frequency receiver

A detection module and remote load voltage sensor determine a location of a parallel arc for a power circuit between a power source and a load in real time. The detection module provides a value of voltage from the power source. A current sensor measures a value of current flowing in the power circuit to or from the power source. The remote load voltage sensor measures a value of voltage at the load. A microprocessor determines the parallel arc location from the value of voltage from the power source, the value of current, the value of voltage at the load, and a wire resistance or conductance per unit length of the power circuit. In one case, connector resistance is accounted for. In another case, the load voltage is encoded at a predetermined frequency using a switched precision resistor near the load, thereby providing a power line carrier type communication.

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Greenfield, WI, United States of America

David McClanahan