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Systems and methods for remotely monitoring and detecting faults in power distribution systems. In one embodiment, a remote fault monitoring system comprises a plurality of remote fault detection devices distributed on a power distribution network, and a monitoring station. Each remote detect devic

Systems and methods for remotely monitoring and detecting faults in power distribution systems. In one embodiment, a remote fault monitoring system comprises a plurality of remote fault detection devices distributed on a power distribution network, and a monitoring station. Each remote detect device includes a first electrical parameter measurement circuit electrically or electromagnetically coupled to a neutral power distribution circuit conductor, and a second electrical parameter measurement circuit electrically or electromagnetically coupled to a power distribution circuit ground conductor. The monitoring station receives measurements transmitted by the remote fault detection devices and determines from the measurements whether a fault intermediate a pair of adjacent remote fault detection devices has occurred.

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The invention claimed is: 1. A remote fault monitoring system comprising: a plurality of remote fault detection devices distributed on a power distribution network, wherein each remote fault detection device includes a first electrical parameter measurement circuit electrically or electromagnetical

The invention claimed is: 1. A remote fault monitoring system comprising: a plurality of remote fault detection devices distributed on a power distribution network, wherein each remote fault detection device includes a first electrical parameter measurement circuit electrically or electromagnetically coupled to a power distribution circuit neutral conductor, and adapted to sample the power distribution circuit neutral conductor to generate first samples that are obtained asynchronous of any injected signals generated by any other remote indication device, a second electrical parameter measurement circuit electrically or electromagnetically coupled to a power distribution circuit ground conductor, and adapted to sample the power distribution circuit ground conductor to generate second samples that are obtained asynchronous of any injected signals generated by any other remote indication device, a central processing unit (CPU) electrically coupled to the first and second electrical parameter measurement circuits and adapted to process the first and second samples to obtain electrical power parameter measurements respectively generated only by the first and second electrical parameter measurement circuits of the remote indication device, and a transceiver adapted to transmit the measurements obtained by the CPU; a monitoring station adapted to receive the measurements transmitted by the transceiver of each of the plurality of remote indication devices and to determine from the measurements whether a fault intermediate a pair of adjacent remote fault detection devices has occurred. 2. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising: a first current transformer electrically or electromagnetically coupling the first electrical parameter measurement circuit to the neutral power distribution circuit conductor; and a second current transformer electrically or electromagnetically coupling the second electrical parameter measurement circuit to the power distribution circuit ground conductor. 3. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the measurements respectively generated by the first and second electrical parameter measurement circuits comprise a current magnitude of a current in each the power distribution circuit neutral conductor and the power distribution circuit ground conductor. 4. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the measurements respectively generated by the first and second electrical parameter measurement circuits are simultaneously collected for each of the plurality of remote fault detection devices. 5. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the first and second electrical parameter measurement circuits are adapted to sample a plurality of current magnitude measurements over a period of time. 6. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 5, wherein the measurements are sampled approximately every two milliseconds, and wherein the period comprises approximately thirty seconds. 7. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the CPU is further adapted to determine a peak current value, an average current value, and a ratio of peak to average current values in each the power distribution circuit neutral conductor and the power distribution circuit ground conductor, and wherein the monitoring station is adapted to compare the ratios at adjacent remote fault detection devices among the plurality of remote fault detection devices to determine whether a fault intermediate a pair of adjacent remote fault detection devices has occurred. 8. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 7, wherein the monitoring station is further adapted to compare the ratios of peak to average current in the power distribution circuit neutral conductor to locate a decrease in the ratio at adjacent remote fault detection devices and to compare the ratios of peak to average current in the power distribution circuit ground conductor at the adjacent remote fault detection devices, and wherein the monitoring station is further adapted to determine the fault is located closer to the one of the adjacent remote fault detection devices having a greater peak to average current in the power distribution circuit ground conductor. 9. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver comprises at least one communication device selected from the group consisting of a WAN-implemented land-based telecommunications device; a two-way radio device; a cellular device; and a satellite-based telecommunications device. 10. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring station comprises a database associating each remote fault detection device with a corresponding location along the power distribution network. 11. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the determination of a fault by the monitoring station prompts generation of a report including fault location information. 12. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 11, wherein the fault location information prompts transmission of a control message to an automatic switch located on the power distribution network to isolate a faulty segment of the network. 13. A method for remote fault monitoring comprising the steps of: obtaining a plurality of sets of electrical measurements, each set associated with a different point in a power distribution system and comprising a neutral conductor measurement and a ground conductor measurement; determining a peak value, an average value, and a ratio of peak to average values for each a neutral conductor and a ground conductor from the neutral conductor measurement and the ground conductor measurement; comparing the ratios of peak to average values for the neutral conductor to locate a decrease in the ratio between adjacent points; locating a fault between the adjacent points at which the decrease occurs; comparing the ratios of peak to average values for the ground conductor at the adjacent points; and estimating the fault as located more closely to the point having a greater ratio of peak to average values for the ground conductor. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of obtaining a plurality of sets of electrical measurements further comprises simultaneously obtaining a plurality of sets of electrical measurements each set associated with a different point in a power distribution system and comprising a neutral conductor measurement and a ground conductor measurement. 15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of: generating a report including fault location information; and transmitting a control message to an automatic switch located on the power distribution system to isolate a faulty segment of the system. 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of obtaining a plurality of sets of electrical measurements further comprises obtaining a magnitude of current flowing through each the neutral conductor and the ground conductor at a plurality of points in the power distribution system, and wherein the step of determining a peak value, an average value, and a ratio of peak to average values further comprises determining a peak current value, an average current value, and a ratio of peak to average current for each the neutral conductor and the ground conductor. 17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of obtaining a plurality of sets of electrical measurements further comprises sampling a plurality of sets of electrical measurements approximately every two milliseconds for about thirty seconds. 18. A remote fault monitoring system comprising: means for obtaining a plurality of sets of electrical measurements, each set associated with a different point in a power distribution system and comprising a neutral conductor measurement and a ground conductor measurement; means for determining a peak value, an average value, and a ratio of peak to average values for each a neutral conductor and a ground conductor from the neutral conductor measurement and the ground conductor measurement; means for comparing the ratios of peak to average values for the neutral conductor to a predetermined limit; means for comparing a set of ratios of peak to average values for the neutral conductor to locate a decrease in the ratio at adjacent points if a ratio exceeds the predetermined limit; means for locating a fault between the adjacent points at which the decrease occurs; means for comparing the ratios of peak to average values for the ground conductor at the adjacent points; and means for estimating the fault as located more closely to the point having a greater ratio of peak to average values for the ground conductor. 19. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 18, further comprising: means for generating a report including fault location information; and means for transmitting a control message to an automatic switch located on the power distribution system to isolate a faulty segment of the system. 20. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 18, wherein the means for obtaining a plurality of sets of electrical measurements further comprises means for obtaining a magnitude of current flowing through each the neutral conductor and the ground conductor at a plurality of points in the power distribution system, and wherein the means for determining a peak value, an average value, and a ratio of peak to average values further comprises means for determining a peak current value, an average current value, and a ratio of peak to average current for each the neutral conductor and the ground conductor. 21. The remote fault monitoring system of claim 18, wherein the means for obtaining a plurality of sets of electrical measurements further comprises means for simultaneously sampling a plurality of sets of electrical measurements approximately every two milliseconds for about thirty seconds. 22. A remote fault monitoring system comprising: a plurality of remote fault detection devices distributed on a power distribution network, wherein each remote fault detection device includes a first electrical parameter measurement circuit electrically or electromagnetically coupled to a power distribution circuit neutral conductor, a second electrical parameter measurement circuit electrically or electromagnetically coupled to a power distribution circuit ground conductor, a central processing unit (CPU) electrically coupled to the first and second electrical parameter measurement circuits and adapted to obtain measurements respectively generated by the first and second electrical parameter measurement circuits, wherein the measurements respectively generated by the first and second electrical parameter measurement circuits comprise a current magnitude of a current in each of the power distribution circuit neutral conductor and the power distribution circuit ground conductor, and a communication device, wherein said communication device transmits the measurements obtained by the CPU; and a monitoring station, wherein the monitoring station receives the transmission of the measurement from the CPU and determines from the measurements from each of the plurality of remote indication devices whether a fault intermediate a pair of adjacent remote fault detection devices has occurred.