TEST, RESET AND COMMUNICATIONS OPERATIONS IN AN ARC FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER WITH OPTIONAL MEMORY AND/OR BACKUP POWER

• Main Authors: DVORAK, ROBERT F, SCOTT, GARY W, WONG, KON B, GRATTAN, BRIAN G, HAUN, ANDY A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 08.11.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER; ELECTRIC SWITCHES; ELECTRICITY; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES; GENERATION; RELAYS; SELECTORS

An arc fault circuit interrupter system for use with an electrical circuit includes an arcing fault detector which monitors said electrical circuit and a controlle r generates a trip signal in response to the detection of arcing faults. The controller ma y also generate one or more communication signals corresponding to information relating to t he operation of the arcing fault circuit interrupter. The system may also inclu de one or more of the following: a communication port which communicates to a user the information relating to operation of the arc fault circuit interrupter in response to th e communication signals; a memory for retaining predetermined information related to the condition and operation of the arcing fault circuit interrupter, with or without a backup memory; and a combined self-test/reset switch.