Protective device for an electrical supply facility

An electrical interfacing device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load, the source of electrical power including at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor, the line neutral conductor being connected to the line ground conductor at a termination point in the electrical distribution system, the electrical load including at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor, the device comprising:

• a power input mechanism including a plurality of line termination elements and a line ground termination element, the plurality of line termination elements being configured to terminate the at least one line hot conductor and the line neutral conductor, the line ground termination element being configured to terminate the line ground conductor, the power input mechanism being configured to direct electric power provided by the source of electrical power to the protective device;
• a power output mechanism including a plurality of load termination elements and a load ground termination element, the plurality of load termination elements being configured to terminate the at least one load hot conductor and the load neutral conductor, the load ground termination element being configured to terminate the load ground conductor, the power output mechanism being configured to direct electric power provided by the source of electrical power via the power input mechanism to the electrical load;
• and
• a conditioning circuit coupled to the power input mechanism and configured to direct a circulating current onto the line neutral conductor, the line neutral conductor and the line ground conductor comprising a negative feedback loop, the circulating current substantially conforming to a waveshape of a ground fault current propagating in the electric load, the waveshape of the ground fault current not being predetermined.

An electrical interfacing device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load, the source of electrical power including at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor, the line neutral conductor being connected to the line ground conductor at a termination point in the electrical distribution system, the electrical load including at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor, the device comprising:

• a power input mechanism including a plurality of line termination elements and a line ground termination element, the plurality of line termination elements being configured to terminate the at least one line hot conductor and the line neutral conductor, the line ground termination element being configured to terminate the line ground conductor, the power input mechanism being configured to direct electric power provided by the source of electrical power to the protective device;
• a power output mechanism including a plurality of load termination elements and a load ground termination element, the plurality of load termination elements being configured to terminate the at least one load hot conductor and the load neutral conductor, the load ground termination element being configured to terminate the load ground conductor, the power output mechanism being configured to direct electric power provided by the source of electrical power via the power input mechanism to the electrical load;
• and
• a conditioning circuit including a current sensor coupled to a current source, the current sensor providing a sensor output signal based on a differential current propagating through the plurality of line termination elements, the current source being coupled to the line neutral conductor and the line ground conductor to form an electrical loop, the current source being configured to direct a circulating current into the electrical loop, the circulating current being based on the sensor output signal, the circulating current being configured to substantially cancel at least a portion of the differential current propagating in the at least one line hot conductor and the line neutral conductor.

An electrical interfacing device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load, the source of electrical power including at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor, the line neutral conductor being connected to the line ground conductor at a termination point in the electrical distribution system, the electrical load including at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor, the device comprising:

• a power input mechanism including a plurality of line termination elements and a line ground termination element, the plurality of line termination elements being configured to terminate the at least one line hot conductor and the line neutral conductor, the line ground termination element being configured to terminate the line ground conductor, the power input mechanism being configured to direct electric power provided by the source of electrical power to the protective device;
• a power output mechanism including a plurality of load termination elements and a load ground termination element, the plurality of load termination elements being configured to terminate the at least one load hot conductor and the load neutral conductor, the load ground termination element being configured to terminate the load ground conductor, the power output mechanism being configured to direct electric power provided by the source of electrical power via the power input mechanism to the electrical load;
• a timing circuit configured to provide a timing delay signal after a predetermined time period elapses after the source of electrical power is coupled to the power input mechanism;
• a conditioning circuit including a current sensor coupled to a current source, the current sensor providing a sensor output signal based on a differential current propagating through the plurality of line termination elements, the current source being coupled to the line neutral conductor and the line ground conductor to form an electrical loop, the current source being configured to direct a circulating current into the electrical loop in response to the timing delay signal, the circulating current being based on the sensor output signal, the circulating current being configured to substantially cancel at least a portion of the differential current propagating through the at least one line hot conductor and the line neutral conductor;
• and
• a circuit interrupter mechanism configured to interrupt electrical continuity between the plurality of line termination elements and the plurality of load termination elements in a tripped state and establish electrical continuity between the plurality of line termination elements and the plurality of load termination elements in a reset state after the timing delay signal has been provided by the timing circuit.

A protective device configured to be disposed in an electrical distribution system between a source of electrical power and an electrical load, the source of electrical power including at least one line hot conductor, a line neutral conductor, and a line ground conductor, the line neutral conductor being connected to the line ground conductor at a termination point in the electrical distribution system, the electrical load including at least one load hot conductor, a load neutral conductor, and a load ground conductor, the device comprising:

• a power input mechanism including a plurality of line termination elements and a line ground termination element, the plurality of line termination elements being configured to terminate the at least one line hot conductor and the line neutral conductor, the line ground termination element being configured to terminate the line ground conductor, the power input mechanism being configured to direct electric power provided by the source of electrical power to the protective device;
• a power output mechanism including a plurality of load termination elements and a load ground termination element, the plurality of load termination elements being configured to terminate the at least one load hot conductor and the load neutral conductor, the load ground termination element being configured to terminate the load ground conductor, the power output mechanism being configured to direct electric power provided by the source of electrical power via the power input mechanism to the electrical load;
• a conditioning circuit configured to monitor a differential current flowing through the plurality of line termination elements and configured to generate a conditioning signal after a predetermined time has elapsed in response to the differential current, the conditioning signal propagating in a path formed by the line neutral conductor and the line ground conductor to thereby reduce a differential current propagating in the at least one line hot conductor and the line neutral conductor, the conditioning circuit also being configured to neutralize a substantial portion of a current associated with a non-fault related electrical perturbation.