CA2267005A1 - Test circuit for verifying operation of an arc fault detector - Google Patents

Test circuit for verifying operation of an arc fault detector Download PDF

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Publication number
CA2267005A1
CA2267005A1 CA002267005A CA2267005A CA2267005A1 CA 2267005 A1 CA2267005 A1 CA 2267005A1 CA 002267005 A CA002267005 A CA 002267005A CA 2267005 A CA2267005 A CA 2267005A CA 2267005 A1 CA2267005 A1 CA 2267005A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
test circuit
arc fault
voltage
capacitor
fault detector
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
CA002267005A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2267005C (en
Inventor
Raymond Warren Mackenzie
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd
Original Assignee
Eaton Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Eaton Corp filed Critical Eaton Corp
Publication of CA2267005A1 publication Critical patent/CA2267005A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2267005C publication Critical patent/CA2267005C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02H—EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
    • H02H3/00—Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working condition with or without subsequent reconnection ; integrated protection
    • H02H3/02—Details
    • H02H3/04—Details with warning or supervision in addition to disconnection, e.g. for indicating that protective apparatus has functioned
    • H02H3/044—Checking correct functioning of protective arrangements, e.g. by simulating a fault
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01R—MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R31/00—Arrangements for testing electric properties; Arrangements for locating electric faults; Arrangements for electrical testing characterised by what is being tested not provided for elsewhere
    • G01R31/327—Testing of circuit interrupters, switches or circuit-breakers
    • G01R31/3277—Testing of circuit interrupters, switches or circuit-breakers of low voltage devices, e.g. domestic or industrial devices, such as motor protections, relays, rotation switches
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H02—GENERATION; CONVERSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRIC POWER
    • H02H—EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS
    • H02H1/00—Details of emergency protective circuit arrangements
    • H02H1/0007—Details of emergency protective circuit arrangements concerning the detecting means
    • H02H1/0015—Using arc detectors

Abstract

A test circuit for arc fault detectors of the type which respond to step changes in ac current over time generated each time an ac is struck includes a low frequency relaxation oscillator which generates a repetitive signal with step changes like those produced by an arc fault. The relaxation oscillator includes a capacitor charged through a resistor and shunted by a voltage breakdown device, preferably a diac. The capacitor is rapidly discharged when its voltage reaches the breakdown voltage of the voltage breakdown device to generate the step change which is input to the arc fault detector. With a repetition rate of the relaxation oscillator not greater than about 15 repetitions per second (rps), and preferably about 5 rps, a user can manually determine the time to trip to verify arc fault detector operation. With the oscillator operating at such a low frequency, a signaling device such as a light emitting diode (LED) placed in series with the voltage breakdown device, permits the user to manually count the number of step changes required to produce a trip thereby providing further verification of detector operability.

Claims (16)

1. A test circuit for an arc fault detector which responds to a plurality of step increases in an alternating current in an ac power system caused by an arc fault over a period of time, said test circuit comprising:
a power source;
a relaxation oscillator powered by said power source for generating a repetitive signal having step changes, said signal having a repetition rate of not more than about 15 per second; and coupling means coupling said pulse signal to said arc fault detector.
2. The test circuit of Claim 1 wherein said relaxation oscillator comprises a capacitor, a resistor through which said capacitor is charged by said power source, and a voltage breakdown device shunting said capacitor, the values of said resistor and capacitor, and a breakdown voltage of said voltage breakdown device being selected to provide said selected repetition rate.
3. The test circuit of Claim 2 wherein said power source comprises rectifier means connected to said ac power system.
4. The test circuit of Claim 2 wherein said coupling means comprises circuit means applying voltage across said capacitor to said arc fault detector.
5. The test circuit of Claim 4 adapted for use with an arc fault detector which responds only to step changes in said ac current having at least a minimum amplitude, wherein said circuit means comprises components applying said repetitive signal to said arc fault detector at about said minimum amplitude.
6. The test circuit of Claim 4 wherein said coupling components comprise a series resistor and capacitor.
7. The test circuit of Claim 6 wherein said voltage break down device is a diac.
8. The test circuit of Claim 7 wherein said power source comprises rectifier means connected to said ac power system.
9. The test circuit of Claim 5 including a signaling device in series with sa id voltage break down device.
10. The test circuit of Claim 9 wherein said signaling device comprises a light emitting diode.
11. The test circuit of Claim 2 including a signaling device in series with sa id voltage break down device.
12. The test circuit of Claim 11 wherein said signaling device comprises a light emitting diode.
13. The test circuit of Claim 12 wherein said voltage break down device comprises a diac.
14. The test circuit of Claim 1 wherein said relaxation oscillator includes a signaling device identifying each step change in said repetitive signal.
15. The test circuit of Claim 14 wherein said signaling device is a light emitting diode.
16. The test circuit of Claim 1 wherein said relaxation oscillator generates a repetitive signal with a repetition rate between about 15 per second and about 1 per second.
CA2267005A 1998-03-27 1999-03-26 Test circuit for verifying operation of an arc fault detector Expired - Lifetime CA2267005C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US09/049,318 1998-03-27
US09/049,318 US5969920A (en) 1998-03-27 1998-03-27 Test circuit for verifying operation of an arc fault detector

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2267005A1 true CA2267005A1 (en) 1999-09-27
CA2267005C CA2267005C (en) 2010-09-14

Family

ID=21959186

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA2267005A Expired - Lifetime CA2267005C (en) 1998-03-27 1999-03-26 Test circuit for verifying operation of an arc fault detector

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US5969920A (en)
EP (1) EP0945948A3 (en)
JP (1) JP4149606B2 (en)
AU (1) AU749552B2 (en)
BR (1) BR9901578A (en)
CA (1) CA2267005C (en)

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CN112307695A (en) * 2020-09-22 2021-02-02 北京九天翱翔科技有限公司 FPGA-based universal digital circuit fault simulation injection system and method

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US6477021B1 (en) 1998-02-19 2002-11-05 Square D Company Blocking/inhibiting operation in an arc fault detection system
US6782329B2 (en) 1998-02-19 2004-08-24 Square D Company Detection of arcing faults using bifurcated wiring system
US6275044B1 (en) 1998-07-15 2001-08-14 Square D Company Arcing fault detection system
US7400477B2 (en) 1998-08-24 2008-07-15 Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. Method of distribution of a circuit interrupting device with reset lockout and reverse wiring protection
US6218844B1 (en) 1998-12-16 2001-04-17 Square D Company Method and apparatus for testing an arcing fault circuit interrupter
US6084756A (en) * 1999-01-22 2000-07-04 Eaton Corporation Apparatus for testing protection of an electric power distribution circuit by an arc fault circuit breaker
US6421214B1 (en) 2000-03-03 2002-07-16 Pass & Seymour, Inc. Arc fault or ground fault detector with self-test feature
US20020063565A1 (en) * 2000-04-04 2002-05-30 Stroth John E. Arc fault current interrupter testing device
US6717786B2 (en) 2001-10-30 2004-04-06 The Boeing Company Automatic voltage source selector for circuit breakers utilizing electronics
US6707651B2 (en) 2002-06-03 2004-03-16 Eaton Corporation ARC fault or ground fault or ARC fault/ground fault trip signal generator and trip unit employing the same
US7492562B2 (en) * 2003-09-10 2009-02-17 Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. AFCI temperature compensated current sensor
US7215520B2 (en) * 2004-07-20 2007-05-08 Eaton Corporation Circuit interrupter including arc fault test and/or ground fault test failure indicator
US7570062B2 (en) * 2004-12-10 2009-08-04 Eaton Corporation Method of actuating a test function of an electrical switching apparatus and electrical switching apparatus employing the same
US20060176625A1 (en) * 2005-02-04 2006-08-10 Shander Mark S Circuit protection devices having an integral barrier with grounding provision
US7460346B2 (en) * 2005-03-24 2008-12-02 Honeywell International Inc. Arc fault detection and confirmation using voltage and current analysis
US7569785B2 (en) * 2005-05-16 2009-08-04 Eaton Corporation Electrical switching apparatus indicating status through panel aperture
US7852606B2 (en) * 2005-08-24 2010-12-14 Leviton Manufacturing Company, Inc. Self-testing circuit interrupting device
US7372678B2 (en) 2005-08-24 2008-05-13 Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. Circuit interrupting device with automatic test
US7486492B2 (en) * 2006-01-18 2009-02-03 Eaton Corporation Electrical switching apparatus including a second trip circuit responding to failure of a first trip circuit to provide a repetitive signal
US7441173B2 (en) * 2006-02-16 2008-10-21 Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. Systems, devices, and methods for arc fault detection
US7499250B2 (en) * 2006-04-19 2009-03-03 Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc. Systems, devices, and methods for temperature compensation in arc fault detection systems
US7911746B2 (en) * 2006-06-01 2011-03-22 Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. GFCI with self-test and remote annunciation capabilities
US20080157781A1 (en) * 2006-12-27 2008-07-03 General Electric Company Methods and systems for detecting series arcs in electrical systems
US7463465B2 (en) * 2006-12-28 2008-12-09 General Electric Company Series arc fault current interrupters and methods
US8004283B2 (en) * 2008-01-25 2011-08-23 Eaton Corporation Method of actuating a test function of an electrical switching apparatus at a panel and electrical switching apparatus employing the same
CN101910856B (en) 2008-01-29 2014-06-18 立维腾制造有限公司 Self testing fault circuit interrupter apparatus and method
US8054591B2 (en) 2008-07-24 2011-11-08 General Electric Company Arc detection using discrete wavelet transforms
US8164347B2 (en) * 2008-10-21 2012-04-24 Schneider Electric USA, Inc. Continuous series arc generator
US8159793B2 (en) * 2008-12-22 2012-04-17 General Electric Company Arc detection using detailed and approximate coefficients from discrete wavelet transforms
US8170816B2 (en) * 2008-12-29 2012-05-01 General Electric Company Parallel arc detection using discrete wavelet transforms
KR101148957B1 (en) 2010-05-19 2012-05-22 남서울대학교 산학협력단 Arc Fault Determination Method for the Breaking of the Arc Fault Current in the House
US9551751B2 (en) 2011-06-15 2017-01-24 Ul Llc High speed controllable load
GB2518592B (en) * 2013-08-06 2016-02-24 Ge Aviat Systems Ltd Built-in testing of an arc fault/transient detector
CN103728509B (en) * 2013-12-13 2016-05-25 温州大学 A kind of fault electric arc signal imitation generating means
US9759758B2 (en) 2014-04-25 2017-09-12 Leviton Manufacturing Co., Inc. Ground fault detector
RU2681434C1 (en) * 2017-10-30 2019-03-06 Федеральное государственное автономное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Национальный исследовательский Томский политехнический университет" Device for certification of jeepers of insulation of cable products

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN112307695A (en) * 2020-09-22 2021-02-02 北京九天翱翔科技有限公司 FPGA-based universal digital circuit fault simulation injection system and method
CN112307695B (en) * 2020-09-22 2024-03-08 北京九天翱翔科技有限公司 FPGA-based universal digital circuit fault simulation injection system and method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPH11329137A (en) 1999-11-30
EP0945948A3 (en) 2000-05-24
AU2128699A (en) 1999-10-07
US5969920A (en) 1999-10-19
CA2267005C (en) 2010-09-14
BR9901578A (en) 2000-01-18
AU749552B2 (en) 2002-06-27
EP0945948A2 (en) 1999-09-29
JP4149606B2 (en) 2008-09-10

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Effective date: 20190326