Patent ID: 6621669
Filing Date: 2003-09-16
Classification: H01H,H02H,Y02B,Y04S

Abstract:
An arcing fault protection system, comprising:an AC power source, a first electrical outlet to which an electrical device may be connected to receive electrical power, said first electrical outlet being connected to said power source and mounted in a first enclosure, said first electrical outlet including a sensor which detects a current and develops a corresponding sensor signal; a broadband noise circuit which determines the presence of broadband noise in said sensor signal and produces a corresponding output signal; and a controller which processes said sensor signal and said output signal in a predetermined fashion to determine whether an arcing fault is present; and a second electrical outlet mounted in a second enclosure, and to which an electrical device may be connected to receive electrical power, said second electrical outlet being connected to said power source through said first electrical outlet, said second enclosure being physically separated from said first enclosure and said second electrical outlet being connected in parallel to said first electrical outlet on the load side of said sensor.