Patent ID: 7332906
Filing Date: 2008-02-19
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A method of monitoring a vacuum interrupter for leakage or loss of vacuum, said vacuum interrupter including a line side, a load side and separable contacts electrically connected therebetween, said line side having a line side voltage, said load side having a load side voltage, said method comprising: determining whether the separable contacts of said vacuum interrupter are intended to be open or closed; comparing said line side voltage to said load side voltage; determining said leakage or said loss of vacuum when said separable contacts of said vacuum interrupter are intended to be open and when said load side voltage is within a predetermined amount of said line side voltage; outputting a signal representing no leakage or loss of vacuum when said separable contacts of said vacuum interrupter are intended to be closed and when said line side voltage is not greater than said load side voltage by greater than said predetermined amount; employing an AND gate including a first input, a second input and an output having said signal representing no leakage or loss of vacuum; inputting with said first input a signal representative of the separable contacts of said vacuum interrupter being intended to be closed; and inputting with said second input a signal representative of the line side voltage not being greater than said load side voltage by greater than said predetermined amount.