Electrical power line parameter measurement apparatus and systems, including compact, line-mounted modules

A sensor module for hot-stick mounting on a power conductor to monitor the voltage thereon, said module comprising:

• (a) housing means having a metallic outer skin and containing at least one electrical element responsive to the electromagnetic field associated with said energized conductor mounted within said housing means, said metallic skin being divided by an insulating member along at least one, complete, peripheral path to prevent an electrical short circuit loop extending entirely around said element, thereby allowing said electromagnetic field to be coupled to said element;
• (b) means icluding said metallic skin of said housing for sensing the value of voltage on said conductor and generating a first signal commensurate with said sensed voltage value;
• (c) a conducting probe extending outwardly from said housing means for contact by a precision potentiometer;
• (d) means establishing a conducting path between said power conductor and said probe, whereby the actual voltage on said conductor is reflected by the current flowing through the known resistance of said potentiometer;
• (e) means for generating a second signal commensurate with said actual voltage value;
• and
• (f) means for comparing said first and second signals to permit calibration of said first signal.

A sensor module for mounting upon and removal from an insulation-covered, energized, power conductor for monitoring the values of a plurality of electrical parameters, including voltage, associated therewith, said module comprising:

• (a) housing means having a metallic outer skin and containing at least one electrical element responsive to the electromagnetic field associated with said energized conductor mounted within said housing means, said metallic skin being divided by an insulating member along at least one, complete, peripheral path to prevent an electrical short circuit loop extending entirely around said element, thereby allowing said electromagnetic field to be coupled to said element;
• (b) mounting means movable from an open to a closed position for mounting said housing means upon said conductor in surrounding relation thereto;
• (c) at least one electrically conducting member having an end portion movable to pierce and extend through the insulating cover on said conductor to conductively contact said conductor in response to movement of said mounting means to said closed position;
• (d) capacitive coupling means having a first side conductively coupled to said conducting member and a second side conductively coupled to said metallic outer skin, whereby said conductor is capacitively coupled to said metallic outer skin of said housing, said capacitive coupling having a high impedance at or below the highest frequency of voltage to be measured;
• and
• (e) means carried by said housing means for communicating data commensurate with said parameter values to a ground receiving station.