CPC H02H 3/08 (2013.01) [G01R 15/202 (2013.01); G01R 31/3277 (2013.01); H02H 1/0007 (2013.01); H02H 3/04 (2013.01)] | 12 Claims |
1. A circuit interrupter comprising:
a frame including a number of compartments;
a number of solid state switch assemblies, each solid state switch assembly disposed in a corresponding one of the number of compartments and including:
an input terminal;
a first conductor;
an output terminal;
a second conductor; and
a solid state switch module electrically connected to the input terminal with the first conductor and electrically connected to the output terminal with the second conductor and including at least one solid state switch and a sensor structured to monitor a characteristic of the at least one solid state switch during operation; and
a controller coupled to the sensor and structured to at least determine whether the monitored characteristic meets a predetermined threshold, and to cause the circuit interrupter to trip open in response to a determination that the monitored characteristic has met the predetermined threshold, wherein the at least one solid state switch comprises an insulated-gate bipolar transistor, and wherein the monitored characteristic comprises a forward volt drop of the IGBT and the predetermined threshold is met based on the forward volt drop reaching a threshold voltage.
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