A method, comprising: receiving, by a current interrupting device operating in a maintenance mode, data packet information signals downloaded over an electric power line for which the current interrupting device serves as a current interrupter of the electric power line , the data packet information signals sensed by a current sensor coupled to a sensor input terminal of the current interrupting device , the data packet information signals representing updated arc-fault detection protection software downloaded over the electric power line to be executed by a processor in the current interrupting device operating in a protection mode, the updated arc-fault detection protection software configured to cause the current interrupting device to interrupt current in the electric power line in response to an arc-fault identified by the arc-fault detection protection software when executed by the processor operating in the protection mode; loading, by the current interrupting device operating in the maintenance mode, the updated arc-fault detection protection software downloaded over the electric power line , into a memory in the current interrupting device associated with the processor ; and replacing, by the current interrupting device operating in the maintenance mode, the existing arc-fault detection protection software by the updated arc-fault detection protection software downloaded over the electric power line to cause the current interrupting device to interrupt current in the electric power line in the protection mode, without requiring hardware changes to the current interrupting device . receiving, by a current interrupting device operating in a maintenance mode, data packet information signals downloaded over an electric power line for which the current interrupting device serves as a current interrupter of the electric power line , the data packet information signals sensed by a current sensor coupled to a sensor input terminal of the current interrupting device , the data packet information signals representing updated arc-fault detection protection software downloaded over the electric power line to be executed by a processor in the current interrupting device operating in a protection mode, the updated arc-fault detection protection software configured to cause the current interrupting device to interrupt current in the electric power line in response to an arc-fault identified by the arc-fault detection protection software when executed by the processor operating in the protection mode; loading, by the current interrupting device operating in the maintenance mode, the updated arc-fault detection protection software downloaded over the electric power line , into a memory in the current interrupting device associated with the processor ; and replacing, by the current interrupting device operating in the maintenance mode, the existing arc-fault detection protection software by the updated arc-fault detection protection software downloaded over the electric power line to cause the current interrupting device to interrupt current in the electric power line in the protection mode, without requiring hardware changes to the current interrupting device . <EOS>