Patent ID: 8624578

Claim:
A method for mapping a phase relationship of power conducted by ones of a plurality of branch circuit conductors, the method comprising the steps of: (a) storing in a memory accessible to a data processing unit an identity of a respective bus in a power distribution panel conductively connected to each of at least four branch circuit conductors, each bus conductively connectable to one of three voltage sources each conducting power of a different phase; (b) storing in said memory a proximity of each of said at least four branch circuit conductors to at least one other of said branch circuit conductors; (c) storing in said memory a magnitude of a current measured in each of said at least four branch circuit conductors; (d) said data processing unit executing an instruction to designate: (i) a first branch circuit conductor, a second branch circuit conductor and a third branch circuit conductor of said at least four conductors as conductors of three-phase power if said second branch circuit conductor is immediately adjacent to said first branch circuit conductor in said power distribution panel and said third branch circuit conductor is immediately adjacent to said second branch circuit conductor and if each of said first, second and third branch circuit conductors is respectively connected to a different bus and if a magnitude of a current in said first branch circuit conductor is substantially equal to magnitudes of currents in each of said second and said third branch circuit conductors; (ii) said first branch circuit and said second branch circuit conductors of said at least four conductors as conductors of two-phase power if said first branch circuit conductor and said second branch circuit conductor are adjacent and connected to different buses and if a magnitude of a current in said first branch circuit conductor is substantially equal to a magnitude of a current in said second branch circuit conductor; and (iii) said first branch circuit conductor of said at least four conductors as a conductor of single phase power if said first branch circuit conductor is not designated as a conductor of one of two-phase power and three-phase power; and (e) said data processing unit storing said designation of said phase of said power for each conductor of said at least four conductors in a memory accessible to a data processing unit of a branch circuit monitor.