A method and system for supply voltage regulation in a motor circuit
protector (MCP) that includes a current transformer coupled to a
rectifier and a stored energy circuit. A solenoid is actuated by that
circuit when a sufficient voltage is present. A controller having a
configurable input is coupled to the stored energy circuit. Upon startup
of the motor circuit protector, the controller causes the stored energy
circuit to be charged to a startup voltage level via secondary current
from the current transformer. The controller periodically interrupts the
charging to measure the secondary current to detect fault levels. During
startup, the configurable input is set to a comparator input for rapid
current measurements. During run mode, the configurable input is set to
an A/D input for accurate measurements. The controller measures the
voltage of the stored energy circuit while charging it to a power level
sufficient to actuate the solenoid.