A fault indicator for indicating the occurrence of a fault in an electrical conductor
has a housing, a high capacity battery, a display for indicating the occurrence
of a fault, a current sensor for sensing the load current in a monitored conductor
a microcontroller for determining the load current, for selecting one of a plurality
of trip settings, such as in several steps between 50 A and 1200 A, based upon
the determined load current and for determining that a fault condition occurred
when the load current exceeds the trip setting. The selected trip setting is stored
in memory. The load current is periodically sampled and the trip setting is changed
if the load current falls in a different range. The display may include permanent
and temporary fault indicating LEDs and additional internal LEDs that cause the
housing to glow or flash at nighttime, or a target style display may be used. Upon
the load current exceeding the trip setting, the microcontroller begins flashing
the permanent fault LEDs. After a predetermined interval, the microcontroller again
senses the load current. If the current is zero, the fault is permanent and the
permanent LEDs continue to flash until a timed reset occurs. If load current is
present, the fault is temporary and the temporary LED is flashed. If the load current
remains above the trip setting, the load had increased and the microcontroller
sets a new trip setting. Related methods are also disclosed.
