Patent ID: 7684940
Filing Date: 2010-03-23
Classification: G01R,H02H

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting improper grounding in an electrical power system having a plurality of monitoring devices coupled to a grounded conductor and a grounding conductor or grounding plane, comprising: receiving data of the voltage between the grounded conductor and the grounding conductor or grounding plane from the plurality of monitoring devices; determining a hierarchy of the electrical power system, the hierarchy indicating how the monitoring devices are connected to one another in the electrical power system; storing a representation of the hierarchy; and comparing the voltage data received from the plurality of monitoring devices to determine whether an improper grounded-grounding (N-G) bond exists between the grounded conductor and the grounding conductor or grounding plane by determining whether the voltage data from a first of the monitoring devices increases compared to the voltage data from at least a second of the monitoring devices that is downstream from the first monitoring device in the hierarchy of the electrical power system.