Patent ID: 8566046

Claim:
A method using a device to detect power grid equipment degradation, comprising: measuring a first voltage of a first energized conductor of a power line connected to the output of a distribution transformer supplying power to one or more customer premises; processing data of the measured voltage to detect a trigger condition; wherein the trigger condition comprises, at least in part, a change in the first voltage that extends for at least a first duration; transmitting a notification of a detection of a trigger condition to a remote computer; and measuring a second voltage of a second energized conductor, wherein the notification includes data for use in identifying a location of the distribution transformer, wherein the power line carries a nominal voltage on each energized conductor and wherein the trigger condition comprises concurrently for at least the first duration: a) a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage that exceeds a first threshold; and b) a sum of the first voltage and the second voltage that is within a predetermined range of twice the nominal voltage.