Generator status information display for power transfer switch

• US 6,798,187 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2001
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reliance Controls Corporation
• Original Assignee: Reliance Controls Corporation
• Inventors: Czarnecki, Neil A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuneo, Kamand
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANG, MINH NHUT
• Application Number:
  US09/963,935
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 324/103.R, 324/103.P, 324/113-116, 324/141-142, 324/156-157, 307/43, 307/64, 307/85, 307/125, 307/149, 361/327, 361/601, 361/627, 361/634, 361/641
• US Class Current: 324/103.00P
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/066 characterised by the use of dynamo-electric machines H02J9/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A power transfer arrangement is provided for supplying power from a generator to the electrical system of a building in the event of a utility power interruption. The power transfer arrangement has a power transfer switching mechanism adapted for interconnection with the building electrical system and includes a cabinet having panel structure provided with various electrical components for transferring power to various load circuits. The power transfer arrangement is improved by a generator status information display mounted on the cabinet for separately measuring and simultaneously displaying actual wattage and voltage supplied by the generator to the load circuits.

Claims

1. In a power transfer arrangement for supplying power from a generator to the electrical system of a building in the event of a utility power interruption, the power transfer arrangement having a power transfer switching mechanism adapted for interconnection with the building electrical system and including a cabinet having panel structure provided with various electrical components for transferring power to various load circuits, the improvement comprising:

a generator status information display mounted on the cabinet for separately measuring and simultaneously displaying only actual wattage and only actual voltage supplied by the generator to the load circuits, wherein the generator status information display includes a variable color wattage display and a variable color voltage display distinguishable from the wattage display.

2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the generator status information display includes at least a three color LED scheme for indicating acceptable, cautionary and overage conditions.

3. The improvement of claim 2, wherein the generator status information display is comprised of a pair of electronic wattage graphs, each wattage graph being flanked by an electronic voltage graph.

4. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the generator status information display includes a stationary illuminated indicator spaced from the wattage and voltage displays and representing the presence and absence of utility power.

5. The improvement of claim 1, wherein each wattage and voltage display is comprised of a colored bar graph having a plurality of indicating segments, the wattage display being represented by the size of the display of several ascending segments and the voltage display being represented by display of a single segment only.

6. A generator condition monitor for a power transfer switching mechanism adapted for interconnection with a building electrical system during a utility power interruption, the monitor comprising;

at least one climbing bar graph wherein both size and color of the graph are indicative of real time power consumption of the generator, and

at least one moving dot graph wherein the relative position and color of the dot are indicative of the real time output voltage of the generator.

7. The generator condition monitor of claim 6, wherein the climbing bar graph and the moving dot graph both employ red, green and yellow LEDs to represent various condition levels of the generator.

8. The generator condition monitor of claim 6, wherein the climbing bar graph includes twenty LED segments and the moving dot graph includes ten LED segments.

9. The generator condition monitor of claim 6 including a single LED indicator representing the availability of utility power.

10. The generator condition monitor of claim 6, wherein the moving dot graph employs red LEDs to signify output voltages below 104 volts and above 136 volts.

11. The generator condition monitor of claim 6, wherein the climbing bar graph employs a red LED to signify power consumption above 100 percent of capacity.