A switch for a medium or high voltage traction line testing device includes a plurality of normally-opened pairs of contacts connected in series, wherein each pair of contacts is equipped with a separate control coil. The switch further comprises a wireless power transfer supply module being on ground potential for supplying cascaded wireless power transfer receivers comprising the transmitting coil, high frequency inverter and microcontroller, a plurality of cascaded wireless power transfer receivers for supplying control coil of pairs of contacts. Each of the wireless power transfer receivers is referenced to the floating potential and comprises a receiving coil. Each of the control coils is connected to one of the wireless power transfer receivers. The receiving coils of the wireless power transfer receivers are magnetically coupled, and a wireless power transfer supply module is located in the middle of the cascaded wireless power transfer receivers.

A dropout recloser is capable of in accordance with its operating programming after a predetermined number of fault interrupting operations, e.g., 1, 2, 3 or more but typically 3, to drop out of a cutout and hang freely in a hinge contact of the cutout providing sectionalization with an observable visible gap. The recloser includes fault interrupting and reclosing components, a drop out mechanism and a controller. The drop out mechanism may include a bi-stable actuator to affect fault interrupting operation and dropout operation. The device may include motion limiting structures. The recloser may have a number of operating modes or sequences.

A dropout recloser is capable of in accordance with its operating programming after a predetermined number of fault interrupting operations, e.g., 1, 2, 3 or more but typically 3, to drop out of a cutout and hang freely in a hinge contact of the cutout providing sectionalization with an observable visible gap. The recloser includes fault interrupting and reclosing components, a drop out mechanism and a controller. The drop out mechanism may include a bi-stable actuator to affect fault interrupting operation and dropout operation. The device may include motion limiting structures. The recloser may have a number of operating modes or sequences.

Various embodiments include a method for producing a ceramic insulator for a high-voltage or medium-voltage switching system comprising: attaching a base material for an equipotential layer between two axially symmetrical ceramic structural elements; disposing the electrically conductive equipotential layer between the two ceramic structural elements; and joining the two ceramic structural elements to form a unitary body along a symmetry axis of a first of the two elements.

Various embodiments include a method for producing a ceramic insulator for a high-voltage or medium-voltage switching system comprising: attaching a base material for an equipotential layer between two axially symmetrical ceramic structural elements; disposing the electrically conductive equipotential layer between the two ceramic structural elements; and joining the two ceramic structural elements to form a unitary body along a symmetry axis of a first of the two elements.

A switching apparatus for conducting and interrupting electrical currents includes: a first mechanical contact arrangement; a semiconductor switch which is connected in parallel to the first mechanical contact arrangement; a second mechanical contact arrangement connected in series to the first mechanical contact arrangement; an auxiliary coil electrically isolated from a circuit of a switching drive used to move contacts of the first and second mechanical contact arrangements, and which is electromagnetically coupled to a coil of the switching drive such that a voltage is generated therein when a voltage supply of the switching drive is switched off; and a switching electronics for switching the semiconductor switch on and off, and which is supplied with the voltage generated in the auxiliary coil when the voltage supply of the switching drive is switched off. The switching electronics switches the semiconductor switch on and off multiple times according to a prespecified sequence.

A switching apparatus for conducting and interrupting electrical currents includes: a first mechanical contact arrangement; a semiconductor switch which is connected in parallel to the first mechanical contact arrangement; a second mechanical contact arrangement connected in series to the first mechanical contact arrangement; an auxiliary coil electrically isolated from a circuit of a switching drive used to move contacts of the first and second mechanical contact arrangements, and which is electromagnetically coupled to a coil of the switching drive such that a voltage is generated therein when a voltage supply of the switching drive is switched off; and a switching electronics for switching the semiconductor switch on and off, and which is supplied with the voltage generated in the auxiliary coil when the voltage supply of the switching drive is switched off. The switching electronics switches the semiconductor switch on and off multiple times according to a prespecified sequence.

A circuit breaker for use in medium voltage applications includes: a housing; a first contact arranged on an end of a first contact stem that extends fixedly through the housing; a second contact arranged on an end of a second contact stem that extends axially and is movable through the housing. The circuit breaker further includes a moving device for moving the second contact between a closed position in contact with the first contact and an open position spaced apart from the first contact. A mass of the second contact is less than a mass of the first contact. The moving device includes a closing mechanism for urging the second contact to the closed position and an opening mechanism for urging the second contact to the open position. The circuit breaker further includes a reconditioning power source and a controller for providing a reconditioning current.

A method for monitoring a circuit breaker includes measuring at least two operating condition related parameters of the circuit breaker during operation of the circuit breaker; obtaining first data representing a vector having at least two components respectively representing the at least two measurements of the at least two parameters; judging location of the vector represented by the obtained data with respect to a vector space having an envelope separating healthy and unhealthy status of the circuit breaker, where the envelope has at least one portion of curvature; and generating a signal indicating the health status of the circuit breaker in consideration of the location of the vector if it is outside of the envelope.

A method for monitoring a circuit breaker includes measuring at least two operating condition related parameters of the circuit breaker during operation of the circuit breaker; obtaining first data representing a vector having at least two components respectively representing the at least two measurements of the at least two parameters; judging location of the vector represented by the obtained data with respect to a vector space having an envelope separating healthy and unhealthy status of the circuit breaker, where the envelope has at least one portion of curvature; and generating a signal indicating the health status of the circuit breaker in consideration of the location of the vector if it is outside of the envelope.