Power monitoring

• US 5,930,092 A
• Filed: 01/17/1992
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Load Controls Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Load Controls Incorporated
• Inventors: Nystrom, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leja, Ronald W.
• Application Number:
  US07/822,063
• Time in Patent Office: 2,748 Days
• Field of Search: 417/44 J, 361/23, 361/28, 361/30, 361/83, 361/93, 361/94, 310/DIG. 3
• US Class Current: 361/30
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/42 responsive to product of voltage and current
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/08 for dynamo-electric motors

Abstract

The electrical power to a device, such as a pump, is monitored by multiplying a current signal with a voltage signal to provide a power signal. Typically when the power signal is outside a predetermined range, power to the device is interrupted.

Claims

1. Monitoring apparatus for monitoring power exchanged with electrical apparatus comprising:

at least first and second conductors connected to said electrical apparatus,

a multiplier having a current input coupled to at least one of said conductors for receiving a current signal representative of the current carried thereby, a voltage input coupled to said at least one conductor for receiving a voltage signal representative of the voltage between said first and second conductors and a power output for providing a power signal representative of the product of said current and voltage signal,

and trip circuitry coupled to said power output for providing a trip signal only when said power signal is outside a predetermined range,

and further including absolute value circuitry for providing an absolute value signal representative of the absolute value of said power signal.

2. The monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said multiplier is a Hall device.

3. The monitoring apparatus of claim 2 and further comprising a transformer intercoupling said multiplier and said electrical apparatus and rectifier circuitry for supplying D.C. power to said trip circuitry,

said transformer coupled to said voltage input and said rectifier circuitry.

4. The monitoring apparatus of claim 1 wherein said absolute value circuitry includes a low pass filter coupling the output of said multiplier to an absolute value detector.

5. Power monitoring apparatus comprising:

a transformer;

a Hall cell having a current input for receiving a current signal, a voltage input for receiving a voltage signal from said transformer, and a power output for providing an output power signal representative of the product of said current signal and said voltage signal; and

a rectifier circuit coupled to said transformer for providing D.C. power,

and further comprising a distortion-reducing impedance network intercoupling said transformer, said voltage input and said rectifier circuit.

6. Power monitoring apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said transformer has a secondary winding with first and second ends and said distortion-reducing impedance network comprises first and second resistors connected between said first and second ends respectively and said voltage input and third and fourth resistors connected between said first and second ends respectively and said rectifier circuit.

7. The power monitoring apparatus of claim 5 wherein said power monitoring apparatus includes at least one terminal to electrically connect said transformer to a device being powered.

8. The power monitoring apparatus of claim 7 wherein said device is a pump.

9. The power monitoring apparatus of claim 7 and further comprising an instrument panel with an indicator for providing a sensible indication of said output power signal,

and circuitry coupling said indicator to said power output.

10. The power monitoring apparatus of claim 9 wherein said indicator includes a meter and at least one warning indicator for providing a sensible indication only when said output power signal is outside predetermined limits.

11. The power monitoring apparatus of claim 9 wherein said circuitry comprises a variable gain amplifier.

12. The power monitoring apparatus of claim 11 wherein said variable gain amplifier comprises a single adjustable resistance for establishing the gain of said variable gain amplifier.

13. The power monitoring apparatus of claim 12 wherein said single adjustable resistance comprises a plurality of switchable resistors in parallel.

14. The power monitoring apparatus of claim 5 and further comprising,

trip circuitry coupled to said power output for providing a trip signal when said power output signal is outside a predetermined range.

15. The power monitoring apparatus of claim 14 and further comprising a start-up delay circuit which provides an inhibit signal to said trip circuitry for disabling said trip circuitry for a predetermined start-up interval.

16. The power monitoring apparatus of claim 15 and further comprising,

a source of a high trip signal that occurs when said power output signal is above said predetermined range,

a source of a low trip signal that occurs when said power output signal is below said predetermined range,

a high trip delay circuit which provides a high inhibit signal to said trip circuitry for disabling said trip circuitry for a predetermined high delay interval,

a low trip delay circuit which provides a low inhibit signal to said trip circuitry for disabling said trip circuitry for a predetermined low delay interval,

and an output latch circuit constructed and arranged to inhibit the occurrence of a low trip signal when said high trip signal occurs first.