Power line commmunication and real-time wiring fault location

A power line communication and real-time wiring fault location system, comprising:

• a power distribution system including an upstream power feeder line and a plurality of load-end feeder lines, each load-end feeder line coupled to an electrical load;
• a plurality of solid-state power controllers, each solid-state power controller associated with a different one of the load-end feeder lines and coupled between its associated load-end feeder line and the upstream power feeder line, each solid-state power controller configured to (i) selectively couple its associated load-end feeder line to the upstream power feeder line and (ii) detect an electrical fault on its associated load-end feeder line or in the electrical load to which the associated load-end feeder line is coupled;
• a communication and fault location determination circuit coupled to each of the load-end feeder lines, the communication and fault location determination circuit coupled to receive a channel selection command and configured, in response to the channel selection command, to (i) selectively transmit a fault location stimulation signal onto one of the load-end feeder lines and (ii) receive a reflected signal from the load-end feeder line and, in response to the reflected signal, determine a location of the electrical fault;
• and
• a supervisory processor in operable communication with each of the solid-state power controllers and with the communication and fault location determination circuit, the supervisory processor configured to supply the channel selection command to the communication and fault location determination circuit.

A power line communication and real-time wiring fault location system, comprising:

• a power distribution system including an upstream power feeder line and a plurality of load-end feeder lines, each load-end feeder line coupled to an electrical load;
• a plurality of solid-state power controllers, each solid-state power controller associated with a different one of the load-end feeder lines and coupled between its associated load-end feeder line and the upstream power feeder line, each solid-state power controller configured to (i) selectively couple its associated load-end feeder line to the upstream power feeder line and (ii) detect an electrical fault on its associated load-end feeder line or in the electrical load to which the associated load-end feeder line is coupled;
• a supervisory processor in operable communication with each of the solid-state power controllers and with the communication and fault location determination circuit, the supervisory processor configured to selectively supply a channel selection command;
• and
• a communication and fault location determination circuit coupled to each of the load-end feeder lines, the communication and fault location determination circuit coupled to receive the channel selection command and configured, in response to the channel selection command, to:
• (i) selectively transmit a fault location stimulation signal onto one of the load-end feeder lines,
• (ii) receive a reflected signal from the load-end feeder line and, in response to the reflected signal, determine a location of the electrical fault, and
• (iii) selectively facilitate power line communication with one or more of the load-end feeder lines.