Miswiring circuit coupled to an electrical fault interrupter
AssigneeLeviton Manufacturing Co., Inc.
InventorRoss Mernyk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosure relates to an electrical fault interrupter comprising at least one electrical fault sensor which is configured to detect an electrical fault condition, at least one miswiring circuit configured to detect the improper connection to the electrical fault sensor, and at least one circuit interrupter which is configured to open at least one circuit in the presence of an electrical fault or a miswiring condition. In at least one embodiment, one end of the miswiring circuit is coupled to a ground line.
Claims23
An electrical fault interrupter device comprising:
- a) a plurality of conductors comprising a ground line, a phase line, and a neutral line;
- b) a miswiring circuit configured to generate a miswire signal when an improper connection between a power distribution network and at least one of said conductors on a line side of the fault interrupter is detected, wherein said miswiring circuit is coupled to said ground line;
- and
- c) a circuit interrupter configured to open at least one circuit in response to said miswire signal.
An electrical fault interrupter device comprising:
- a) a plurality of conductors comprising a phase conductor, a neutral conductor and a ground conductor;
- b) an electrical fault sensor configured to generate a fault signal when at least one fault condition is detected;
- c) a miswiring circuit configured to generate a miswiring signal when an improper connection between a power distribution network and at least one of said conductors is detected wherein said miswiring circuit is coupled to said ground conductor;
- and
- d) a circuit interrupter configured to open at least one circuit in response to said fault signal or said miswiring signal.
A process for disconnecting an input of a wiring device if the input is miswired comprising:
- a) coupling a miswiring circuit of the wiring device between a ground conductor, and a sensor coupled to a neutral conductor;
- b) detecting a voltage on a ground conductor;
- c) comparing said voltage on said ground conductor to said voltage on said neutral conductor
- d) indicating the presence of miswiring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.