A system includes a dry contact with a first pair of switchable electrodes, a wet contact with a second pair of switchable electrodes, an arc suppressor, and a controller circuit operatively coupled to the arc suppressor and the first and second pairs of switchable electrodes. The controller circuit is configured to detect a failure of the wet contact and determine a stick duration associated with the first pair of switchable electrodes. The stick duration is based on a duration between an instance when a coil of the dry contact is deactivated and an instance of separation of the first pair of switchable electrodes during deactivation of the coil. The controller circuit generates, in-situ and in real-time, health assessment for the first pair of switchable electrodes based on a comparison of the determined stick duration with an average stick duration associated with a window of observation.

A method for determining an operational status of a switching device for switching an electrical unit including a first circuit and a second circuit, each circuit respectively including: a vacuum breaker including a fixed electrode and a mobile electrode; and a control device connected to the mobile electrode via an elastic device. The method including: for each of the first and second circuits, determining a transition instant at which the mobile electrode comes into contact with the fixed electrode; determining a difference between the transition instant of the first vacuum breaker and the transition instant of the second vacuum breaker; determining that the operational status is a first status known as “nominal synchronization” if the difference is less than a threshold; and determining that the operational status is a second status known as “abnormal synchronization” if the difference is greater than the threshold.

Discussed is a contactor management method and a battery system to perform the method, wherein the battery system includes a contactor connected between a battery pack and an external device; a voltage measurer to measure a first operation voltage supplied to the contactor; and a controller to determine opening or closing of the contactor based on the first operation voltage measured from the voltage measurer, wherein the controller determines the contactor as open in an opened state when the first operation voltage is not supplied to the contactor, determines the contactor as closed in a closed state when the first operation voltage is supplied to the contactor, and counts each openings and closings of the contactor and determines a replacement time of the contactor based on a sum value of the counts exceeding a predetermined reference value.

In one example, an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) is provided. The AFCI may include a plurality of current arc signature detection blocks configured to output a plurality of corresponding current arc signatures, and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive each of the plurality of current arc signature from each of plurality of current arc signature detection blocks, respectively, and generate a first trigger signal. The processor may be further configured to assess each of the current arc signatures, determine whether an arc fault exists based on the assessment, and generate the first trigger signal if an arc fault is determined to exist. A method for detecting an arc fault is also provided.

A method for predicting end-of-life for a component includes determining a baseline lifetime model for a component connected to a machine functional safety system. The component is part of a system with physical devices. The method includes monitoring environmental conditions and usage conditions of the component and modifying the baseline lifetime model based on the monitored environmental and usage conditions to produce a modified lifetime model for the component. The method includes tracking a lifetime progress of the component with respect to the modified lifetime model and sending an alert in response to lifetime progress of the component reaching a lifetime threshold associated with the modified lifetime model.

A system for monitoring a circuit breaker includes: at least one sensor and a processor. The at least one sensor is configured to be located and utilized to obtain at least one sensor data of a main shaft of an operational circuit breaker, and the at least one sensor is configured to provide the at least one sensor data of the main shaft of the operational circuit breaker to the processor. The processor is configured to determine position and/or velocity information for a moveable contact of the operational circuit breaker, where the determination comprises analysis of the at least one sensor data of the main shaft of the operational circuit breaker by a trained neural network implemented by the processor.

A circuit for a circuit interrupter is provided. The circuit may in include a first SCR configured to receive a first trigger signal at a gate of the first SCR, a second SCR configured to receive a second trigger signal at a gate of the second SCR, and a third SCR configured to receive a third trigger signal at a gate of the third SCR. A cathode of the first SCR may be connected to an anode of the third SCR. A cathode of the second SCR and a cathode of the third SCR may be connected to a ground. Methods of operating a circuit interrupter and a circuit are also provided.

An electrical fuse maintenance system comprises sensor means adapted to measure the current flowing through a fuse element, the voltage on the fuse element, the temperature of the fuse element, and/or the temperature of an environment surrounding the fuse element, a controller configured to monitor said current, said voltage, said temperatures over a period of time while the fuse element is connected to an energized electrical power unit, Based on the monitored current, voltage and temperatures, the controller is adapted to estimate a service life remaining of the fuse element.

Electrical system and method for detecting an end-of-life (EOL) of a circuit are disclosed. In an embodiment, the electrical system includes a sensing circuit for detecting variance of an input electrical power to an electrical device; and a processor for receiving the variance and comparing the variance with a threshold range. When the variance is out of the threshold range, the processor generates a signal to cause the output electrical power disconnected.

A circuit interrupting device includes an input conductor for electrically connecting to an external power supply, a load conductor for electrically connecting to a downstream load, a face conductor for electrically connecting to an external load, and a brush conductor in electrical communication with the input conductor and movable between a closed position and an open position. The brush conductor includes a second portion offset from a first portion such that a first terminal and a second terminal are positioned on separate planes. When the brush conductor is in the closed position, the first terminal contacts the load terminal and the second terminal contacts the face terminal to provide electrical communication between the input conductor, the load conductor, and the face conductor. When the brush conductor is in the open position, the first terminal is spaced apart from the load terminal and the second terminal is spaced apart from the face terminal.