Arc fault detector and method for locating an arc fault

A system for locating an arc fault for a protected circuit, said system comprising:

• a circuit breaker for said protected circuit, said circuit breaker comprising:
• means for interrupting said protected circuit,
• an arc fault detector determining an arc fault in said protected circuit,
• a circuit measuring at least a value of peak current for said arc fault, and
• means for displaying at least said measured value of peak current for said arc fault external to said circuit breaker;
• means for providing a peak line-to-neutral voltage;
• a data computation and display circuit remote from said circuit breaker, said data computation and display circuit comprising:
• means for providing a wire resistance per unit length or a wire conductance per unit length for said protected circuit,
• means for providing an arc voltage operatively associated with said value of peak current, and
• means for determining a distance from the arc fault detector to said arc fault from the value of peak arc current, the wire resistance per unit length or the wire conductance per unit length, the peak line-to-neutral voltage, and the arc voltage;
• and
• means for communicating at least said measured value of peak current between said circuit breaker and said data computation and display circuit.

A circuit breaker for locating an arc fault for a protected circuit, said circuit breaker comprising:

• means for interrupting said protected circuit;
• an arc fault detector determining an arc fault in said protected circuit;
• means for measuring a value of peak arc current at said arc fault detector;
• means for providing a peak line-to-neutral voltage;
• means for providing an arc voltage operatively associated with said value of peak current;
• and
• means for determining a distance from the arc fault detector to said arc fault from the value of peak arc current, a wire resistance per unit length or a wire conductance per unit length, the peak line-to-neutral voltage and the arc voltage.

A method for locating an arc fault in an electrical system, said method comprising:

• measuring a value of peak arc current at an arc fault detector;
• employing a wire resistance per unit length or a wire conductance per unit length;
• providing a peak line-to-neutral voltage;
• providing an arc voltage operatively associated with said value of peak current;
• employing the value of peak arc current, the wire resistance per unit length or the wire conductance per unit length, the peak line-to-neutral voltage and the arc voltage, and calculating a distance from the arc fault detector to said arc fault;
• and
• displaying said distance.

A method for locating a line-to-line arc fault in an electrical system, said method comprising:

• measuring a value of peak arc current at an arc fault detector;
• employing a wire resistance per unit length or a wire conductance per unit length for two lines;
• providing a peak line-to-line voltage;
• providing an arc voltage operatively associated with said value of peak current;
• employing the value of peak arc current, the wire resistance per unit length or the wire conductance per unit length, the peak line-to-line voltage and the arc voltage, and calculating a distance from the arc fault detector to said arc fault;
• and
• displaying said distance.

A circuit breaker for a protected circuit, said circuit breaker comprising:

• means for interrupting said protected circuit;
• an arc fault detector determining an arc fault in said protected circuit;
• a circuit measuring and storing a plurality of values of peak current for said arc fault;
• means for selecting at least two largest values of said measured and stored values, a count of said at least two largest values being less than a count of said plurality of values of peak current for said arc fault;
• means for averaging only said selected at least two largest values to provide an average value;
• and
• means for employing said average value as one value of peak are current.