Arcing fault detection system installed in a panelboard

An integrated protection system for an electrical distribution system including a panelboard for receiving and distributing power from a utility source, said panelboard receiving said power through at least one line bus and a neutral bus, said panelboard distributing said power from said at least one line bus and said neutral bus to a plurality of branch circuits each having line and neutral conductors for delivering said power to a load, each of said line conductors being electrically connected to one of said at least one line buses, each of said neutral conductors being electrically connected to said neutral bus, said panelboard including a framework having a plurality of positions for attaching circuit protection devices to a corresponding plurality of branch circuits, said integrated protection system comprising:

• at least one arcing fault detector module attached to a corresponding at least one of the positions in said framework for detecting the occurrence of arcing faults in a selected number of branch circuits,
• at least one line interrupter attached to a corresponding at least one of the positions in said framework for disconnecting the load from the power source in any of the selected branch circuits in which an arcing fault has been detected, and
• an isolation module electrically connected to said at least one line bus and a neutral bus on a power source side of said arcing fault detection module, said isolation module being adapted to electrically isolate arcing fault signals to the branch circuit in which they occurred.

An integrated protection system for an electrical distribution system including a panelboard for receiving and distributing power from a utility source, said panelboard receiving said power through at least one line bus and a neutral bus, said panelboard distributing said power from said at least one line bus and said neutral bus to a plurality of branch circuits each having line and neutral conductors for delivering said power to a load, each of said line conductors being electrically connected to one of said at least one line buses, each of said neutral conductors being electrically connected to said neutral bus, said panelboard including a framework having a plurality of positions for attaching circuit protection devices to a corresponding plurality of branch circuits, said integrated protection system comprising:

• at least one arcing fault detector module attached to a corresponding at least one of the positions in said framework for detecting the occurrence of arcing faults in a selected number of branch circuits;
• at least one line interrupter attached to a corresponding at least one of the positions in said framework for disconnecting the load from the power source in any of the selected branch circuits in which an arcing fault has been detected;
• and
• an isolation module attached to one of the positions in said framework for electrically isolating arcing fault signals to the branch circuit in which they occur.

An integrated protection system for an electrical distribution system including a panelboard for receiving and distributing power from a utility source, said panelboard receiving said power through at least one line bus and a neutral bus, said panelboard distributing said power from said at least one line bus and said neutral bus to a plurality of branch circuits each having line and neutral conductors for delivering said power to a load, each of said line conductors being electrically connected to one of said at least one line buses, each of said neutral conductors being electrically connected to said neutral bus, said panelboard including a framework having a plurality of positions for attaching circuit protection devices to a corresponding plurality of branch circuits, said integrated protection system comprising:

• at least one line interrupter module attached to a corresponding at least one of the positions in said framework for disconnecting the load from the power source in any of a selected number of branch circuits in response to receiving a trip signal;
• and
• multiple arcing fault detectors mounted within the panelboard enclosure and attached to one of said line interrupter modules with each detector coupled to a different branch circuit for detecting the occurrence of an arcing fault in that branch circuit;
• each arcing fault detector sensing the rate of change of the current or voltage in the line conductor of the branch circuit associated with that detector.

An integrated protection system for an electrical distribution system including a panelboard for receiving and distributing power from a utility source, said panelboard receiving said power through at least one line bus and a neutral bus, said panelboard distributing said power from said at least one line bus and said neutral bus to a plurality of branch circuits each having line and neutral conductors for delivering said power to a load, each of said line conductors being electrically connected to one of said at least one line buses, each of said neutral conductors being electrically connected to said neutral bus, said panelboard including a framework having a plurality of positions for attaching circuit protection devices to a corresponding plurality of branch circuits, said integrated protection system comprising:

• at least one line interrupter module attached to a corresponding at least one of the positions in said framework for disconnecting the load from the power source in any of a selected number of branch circuits in response to receiving a trip signal;
• and
• at least one arcing fault detector module attached to a corresponding at least one of said line interrupter modules for detecting the occurrence of arcing faults and generating said trip signal in said selected number of branch circuits, and
• an isolation module attached to one of the positions in said framework for electrically isolating arcing fault signals to the branch circuit on which they occur.

An integrated protection system for an electrical distribution system including a panelboard for receiving and distributing power from a utility source, said panelboard receiving said power through at least one line bus and a neutral bus, said panelboard distributing said power from said at least one line bus and said neutral bus to a plurality of branch circuits each having line and neutral conductors for delivering said power to a load, each of said line conductors being electrically connected to one of said at least one line buses, each of said neutral conductors being electrically connected to said neutral bus, said panelboard including a framework having a plurality of positions for attaching circuit protection devices to a selected number of branch circuits, said integrated protection system comprising:

• multiple arcing fault detectors mounted within the panelboard enclosure with each detector coupled to a different branch circuit for detecting the occurrence of an arcing fault in that branch circuit, each arcing fault detector including a sensor coupled to said line conductor and producing a sensor output signal, and signal processing circuitry responsive to said sensor output signal for detecting the occurrence of an arcing fault in a branch circuit and producing a control signal in response to such an occurrence, and
• at least one line interrupter responsive to said control signal and attached to said framework for disconnecting the load from the power source in any of the branch circuits in which an arcing fault has been detected.

An integrated protection system for an electrical distribution system including a panelboard for receiving and distributing power from a utility source, said panelboard receiving said power through at least one line bus and a neutral bus, said panelboard distributing said power from said at least one line bus and said neutral bus to a plurality of branch circuits each having line and neutral conductors for delivering said power to a load, each of said line conductors being electrically connected to one of said at least one line buses, each of said neutral conductors being electrically connected to said neutral bus, said panelboard including a framework having a plurality of positions for attaching circuit protection devices to a selected number of branch circuits, said integrated protection system comprising:

• multiple arcing fault detectors mounted within the panelboard enclosure with each detector coupled to a different branch circuit for detecting the occurrence of an arcing fault in that branch circuit, each arcing fault detector sensing signals at frequencies substantially above the frequency of the power signal in the line conductor of the branch circuit associated with that detector;
• and
• at least one line interrupter attached to a corresponding at least one of the positions in said framework for disconnecting the load from the power source in any of the selected branch circuits in which an arcing fault has been detected.