Apparatus for detecting and responding to series arcs in ac electrical

Abstract

Series arcs in an ac circuit are discriminated from other phenomenon by analyzing the timing between pulses in a second derivative of the current signal. A first timer starts timing upon detection of a first pulse in the second derivative of current signal. Time out of the first timer starts a second timer which times a second interval or window during which a series arcing fault will generate a second pulse of opposite polarity to the first pulse. Detection of the first pulse followed by a second pulse of opposite polarity during the window sets a flip-flop to record the event. When a predetermined number of events are counted by a counter within a given time-period set by a third timer, an output signal indicating an arcing fault is generated. If the second pulse is generated before the window opens, or a third pulse occurs during the window, the flip-flop cannot be set so that other events such as the switching of a dimmer do not generate a false output signal.