Patent ID: 8130001

Claim:
A method comprising: providing a plurality of sensors, at least one of the plurality of sensors capable of providing at least one indication of at least one other-than-current condition of a protective device as it goes from a first state in which it is able to conduct current substantially at its rated capacity to a second state in which it is not able to conduct current substantially at its rated capacity, that the protective device has gone from the first state to the second state, at least near in time when at least one other of the plurality of sensors does not provide at least one indication of at least one different other-than-current condition of the protective device that the protective device has gone from the first state to the second state because of an influence of a device external to the protective device that is expected to occur; receiving the at least one indication from at least one of the plurality of sensors that sense changes to a protective device as it goes from a first state in which it is able to conduct current substantially at its rated capacity to a second state in which it is not able to conduct current substantially at its rated capacity; identifying at least one other-than-current indication as indicating that the protective device has at least reduced carrying current below its rated capacity from the at least one other-than-current indication received; reporting an indication of the at least one other-than-current indication to a central device; and identifying whether the at least one other-than-current indication is followed by at least one indication that the at least one other-than-current indication is a false positive rather than a true indication of an other-than-current condition of the protective device; wherein the protective device comprises a cutout or recloser, the cutout or recloser being configured for use in a power distribution system.