Patent ID: 6600425
Filing Date: 2003-07-29
Classification: G01R,H01T

Abstract:
An apparatus for detecting and recording episodic overloads in a circuit, said apparatus comprising:a) a gas discharge tube with at least a first and second terminal with said first terminal connected to an input line of a circuit and said second terminal connected to ground, said tube being configured to be activated when a voltage in said security circuit reaches a threshold level and at said threshold Level and above said tube becomes active and diverts power from said circuit to ground causing a discharge in said gas discharge tube; b) a light sensitive sensor adjacent to said discharge tube and encased with said gas discharge tube in light impervious housing to thereby exclude ambient light and make said light sensor subject to exposure only to light produced by said gas discharge tube; and c) a diagnostic device connected to said light sensitive sensor wherein when said light sensitive sensor reacts to light generated by activation of said gas discharge tube said sensor reacts in concert and produces a signal representative of the discharge of said gas discharge tube which said diagnostic device records information derived from the signal generated by said sensor.