System, method, and apparatus for remotely monitoring surge arrester conditions

Abstract

A system and method for real-time remotely (i.e., at least several miles away) monitoring MOV surge arresters conditions is provided along with a method and circuitry for sensing the total leakage current of a surge arrester in a power grid. Leakage current circuitry may include a MOV arrester leakage current sensing block having shunt circuitry formed using a biasing resistor, one or more opto-couplers that isolate the radio module system from the MOV arrester stem line and monitors the total leakage current and other states of the primary stage, and a mini ZOV that acts as a surge protection device. The outputs of the opto-couplers can be set up to provide a linear or digital output or both to a communications network. The communications network can transmit a signal corresponding to a fault state of a surge arrester to a remote central control center. An alternative and complementary way of monitoring MOV condition is also provided by registering the time and counts of the lightning strikes with a renovated mechanical counter telemetry.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.