The technology described herein is generally directed towards a system for power transmission system protection and fault location, such as implemented in a deployable device at one or more junction points of a power transmission system. Aspects of the described technology can be directed to analyzing a traveling wave corresponding to a fault on a power transmission system. Example aspects can comprise receiving data representing current and voltage components of a traveling wave, maintaining the data in storage for fault location determination of the fault, transforming the data via a wavelet transform, into wavelet transform results and using the wavelet transform results for protection of the power transmission system.

A circuit interrupting device includes line and load terminals and an interrupter electrically coupled therebetween, the interrupter having open and closed conditions. The device also includes a fault detector configured to detect a fault in an electrical signal in the load circuit. When such a fault is detected, the fault detector causes actuation of the interrupter to the open condition. A communication interface is adapted to receive a remote test command signal, and a processor generates, in response to receipt of the remote test command signal, a simulated fault in the load circuit, such that the fault detector attempts to cause actuation of the interrupter to the open condition. The processor determines whether or not the fault detector successfully caused actuation of the interrupter to the open condition in response to receipt of the remote test command signal, and if not, generates an alarm signal indicative of a malfunction.

A smart accessory device is designed to be used with a circuit breaker so as to be able to actuate an operating mechanism of the circuit breaker in order to either open or close the separable contacts of the circuit breaker. The accessory device can be one of a shunt trip, spring release, or under voltage release device. The accessory device continually executes diagnostics to determine whether the power being supplied by an external power source is sufficient to enable the accessory device to actuate the operating mechanism of the associated circuit breaker. If the accessory device determines that the power being supplied by the external source is insufficient, the device triggers an alarm in order to notify a user that the power source is not meeting the power requirements of the device.

A photovoltaic array of photovoltaic solar cells; a smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker for electrically providing a pulsed 100 microseconds duration short circuit to the photovoltaic array electrical outputs, wherein a response time for the smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker is more than 1 millisecond when responding to a short circuit; a computer program comprising instructions that when executed by the processor perform functions that control the smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker, the computer program comprising: instructions to command the smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker to initiate the 100 microsecond pulsed short circuit; instructions to measure a current magnitude and current rise time of the smart photovoltaic system outputs during the 100 microsecond pulsed short circuit; and instructions to select a behavior curve from a plurality of smart dynamic programmable circuit breaker behavior curves 10% above the current magnitude and current rise time during the pulsed short circuit.

A system includes a solid-state circuit breaker coupling between a power supply and an electrical load. The system also includes a gateway interface device communicatively coupled to the solid-state circuit breaker and includes a plurality of communication interfaces. In an embodiment, the gateway interface device includes a controller configured to perform operations including determining a connection status of at least one communication interface of the plurality of communication interfaces and determining a number of devices connected to the at least one communication interface, receive a signal from at least one device of the number of devices. In the embodiment, the operations may also include in response to receiving the signal, instructing the solid-state circuit breaker to disconnect the electrical load from the power supply.

A circuit breaker includes an electromechanical switch, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, and a processor. The electromechanical switch is serially connected between a line input terminal and a load output terminal of the circuit breaker, and configured to be placed in a switched-closed state or a switched-open state. The current sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of current flowing in a path between the line input and load output terminals and generate a current sense signal. The voltage sensor is configured to sense a magnitude of voltage at a point on the path between the line input and load output terminals and generate a voltage sense signal. The processor is configured to receive and process the current sense signal and the voltage sense signal to determine operational status information of the circuit breaker and determine power usage information of a load connected to the load output terminal.

Wireless communication enabled circuit breakers are described. Methods associated with such wireless communication enabled circuit breakers are also described. The wireless communication enabled circuit breakers may controlled by a remote entity. The remote entity may wirelessly case the wireless communication enabled circuit breakers to trip.

A method operates an electrical network, in particular a power supply network or power distribution network, in which protective apparatuses are connected to a multiplicity of measurement positions. The protective apparatuses monitor an assigned network section of the electrical network and are respectively parameterized with at least one apparatus-side parameter value which influences the mode of operation of the respective protective apparatus. Accordingly, the protective apparatuses are remotely readable and are connected to a superordinate central device, and the central device reads out the apparatus-side parameter values from the protective apparatuses.

Communication enabled circuit breakers and circuit breaker panels are described. Methods associated with such communication enabled circuit breakers and circuit breaker panels are also described. A circuit breaker panel may include a circuit breaker controller and one or more communication enabled circuit breakers. Two-way wireless communication is possible between the circuit breaker controller and the one or more communication enabled circuit breakers.

A method and apparatus provide an improved way to monitor a circuit for deterioration and obtain an advance warning of the deterioration so that action can be taken before the circuit breaker may trip for the circuit. The method establishes a baseline for the circuit, including monitoring the zero crossing point for the voltage and current for the circuit. In operation, the circuit is monitored using the zero crossing point and this information is compared to the baseline to determine if a change has occurred. The baseline information establishes thresholds that signify that the circuit is deteriorating so that the appropriate signal can be provided so that an appropriate action can be taken, interrupt the circuit, take remedial action, etc.