A power system for driving a load, said power system comprising: a power distribution unit for distributing power via first and second power conductors (200, 300) to a corresponding at least one lead (501, 502, 503) of said load according to a switching mechanism which selectively couples a given lead (501, 502, 503) of said load to one of said first and second power conductors (200, 300) at a predetermined switching rate, said first and second power conductors (200, 300) capacitively coupled to one another; a capacitor (C2, C3) having a first terminal coupled to one of the first power conductor and second power conductor, and a second terminal coupled to the reference potential; and a detector circuit coupled to the first power conductor, said detector circuit operative for sensing a change in voltage across said first power conductor with respect to the reference potential indicative of an unintended electrical path between at least one said lead and said reference potential, causing said voltage developed across said first power conductor to vary according to the magnitude of the power source, said detector generating a fault signal in response said sensed voltage change exceeding a predetermined threshold; wherein said detector circuit comprises a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the first power conductor and a second terminal coupled to a first terminal of a resistor network or transformer, said resistor network or transformer having a second terminal coupled to said reference potential, said capacitor operable for performing one of a charging and discharging operation in response to said sensed change in voltage, and wherein said fault signal is generated in response to a comparison of a signal resulting from said sensed change in voltage relative to said reference potential; and a controller responsive to the fault signal for interrupting power from the first and second power conductors to the load, thereby tending to eliminate the time varying voltage developed at one of the first and second power conductors in response to the unintended electrical path between said least one lead and said reference potential, from being discharged across said capacitor. a power distribution unit for distributing power via first and second power conductors (200, 300) to a corresponding at least one lead (501, 502, 503) of said load according to a switching mechanism which selectively couples a given lead (501, 502, 503) of said load to one of said first and second power conductors (200, 300) at a predetermined switching rate, said first and second power conductors (200, 300) capacitively coupled to one another; a capacitor (C2, C3) having a first terminal coupled to one of the first power conductor and second power conductor, and a second terminal coupled to the reference potential; and a detector circuit coupled to the first power conductor, said detector circuit operative for sensing a change in voltage across said first power conductor with respect to the reference potential indicative of an unintended electrical path between at least one said lead and said reference potential, causing said voltage developed across said first power conductor to vary according to the magnitude of the power source, said detector generating a fault signal in response said sensed voltage change exceeding a predetermined threshold; wherein said detector circuit comprises a capacitor having a first terminal coupled to the first power conductor and a second terminal coupled to a first terminal of a resistor network or transformer, said resistor network or transformer having a second terminal coupled to said reference potential, said capacitor operable for performing one of a charging and discharging operation in response to said sensed change in voltage, and wherein said fault signal is generated in response to a comparison of a signal resulting from said sensed change in voltage relative to said reference potential; and a controller responsive to the fault signal for interrupting power from the first and second power conductors to the load, thereby tending to eliminate the time varying voltage developed at one of the first and second power conductors in response to the unintended electrical path between said least one lead and said reference potential, from being discharged across said capacitor.