Immersion detector circuit interrupter

Abstract

An immersion detector circuit interrupter having a sensor located around the electrical components of an appliance and a relay for interrupting the delivery of alternating current to the appliance whenever the sensor conducts a current at a predetermined voltage. The sensor is connected in series with a zener diode, a regular diode, the coil of the relay and to another two diodes which are connected to two alternating current conductors which provide electrical current to the appliance. The sensor is generally always at an electrical potential opposite or substantially different than the electrical potential of the electrical components at any particular point in time. When a conductive path it provided between the electrical components and the sensor, such as when the appliance is immersed in water, as soon as the predetermined breakdown voltage of the zener diode is reached, a current travels through the coil of the relay and to either of the two alternating current conductors thereby actuating the relay switches and interrupting current from being delivered to the appliance. In their actuated state, the switches provide rectified current to the coil and capacitor through two diodes. The diode connected next to the zener diode is situated in opposite polarity to the diodes providing rectified current thereby preventing rectified current from being delivered to the sensor. A light emitting diode is energized when the switches are actuated.