Integrated Automatic Selection of Maintenance Mode in Electronic Tripping Systems to Minimize Arc Fault Energy

A monitor control system for an electrical distribution system, comprising

• a trip unit for a circuit breaker;
• a boundary detection sensor configured to detect a human presence in a boundary surrounding at least a portion of the electrical distribution system;
• at least one sensor associated with the electrical distribution system and coupled to the trip unit, wherein the at least one sensor is connected to one or more serviceable enclosures of the electrical distribution system to detect whether the electrical distribution system will be or is being serviced when the presence of a human being is also detected by the boundary detection sensor;
• and
• a selector coupled to the trip unit and configured to select maintenance mode parameters to define a mode of operation of the trip unit, wherein in the maintenance mode arc flash reduction and tripping delay reduction are provided such that the trip unit operates based on the maintenance mode parameters.

A method for protecting service personnel, comprising:

• detecting a presence of service personnel in an area of an electrical distribution system by detecting a characteristic maintenance condition;
• selecting maintenance mode parameters in accordance with a signal generated by the detection of the characteristic maintenance condition;
• and
• setting trip conditions for a trip unit to reduce arc flash energy and tripping delay during the characteristic maintenance condition.