US 2020/0348351 A1 · DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING REVERSED POLARITY AND/OR BOOTLEG GROUNDED ELECTRICAL OUTLETS

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods for detecting reversed polarity bootleg ground wiring configurations of an electrical outlet are disclosed. For at least one embodiment, a system in includes a test transmitter and a test receiver. The test receiver being configured to detect a ping generated by the test transmitter and determine whether the ping is received via a proper receptacle of an outlet being tested. The system also includes a test receiver configured to determine is a bootleg ground configuration exists using one of time domain reflectometry and/or a resistance based measurement approach. A method for testing an outlet includes one or both of testing for reversed polarity and bootleg ground configurations.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for testing an electrical outlet, comprising:

a test receiver, comprising:
a hot receive prong configured for electrical coupling the test receiver with a first hot line of an electrical circuit;
and
a signal receiver, coupled to the hot receive prong, configured to detect when a ping signal is present on the first hot line;
and
a test transmitter, comprising:
a hot test prong configured for electrical coupling the test transmitter with a second hot line of the electrical circuit;
wherein the first hot line and the second hot line are electrically coupled via the electrical circuit;
and
a signal generator, coupled to the hot test prong, configured to generate the ping signal on the second hot line.

7 more elements

A receiver, for testing compliance of an electrical circuit with an electrical code, comprising:

a hot receive prong configured for electrical coupling a test receiver with a first hot line of an electrical circuit;
a neutral receive prong configured for electrical coupling the test receiver with a first neutral line of the electrical circuit;
a signal receiver, coupled to each of the hot receive prong and the neutral receive prong, configured to:
detect when a ping signal is present at either of the hot receive prong or the neutral receive prong;
and
when the ping signal is detected at the neutral receive prong, generate a first fault condition signal.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Devices, systems and methods for detecting reversed polarity and/or bootleg grounded electrical outlets

Life of this patent

Devices, systems and methods for detecting reversed polarity and/or bootleg grounded electrical outlets

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20