Apparatus for measuring the potential of a transmission conductor

Self contained radio transmitting state estimator modules are mounted on power conductors on both sides of power transformers in electrical substations and on power conductors at various places along electrical transmission lines. They are electrically isolated from ground and all other conductors. These modules are capable of measuring current, voltage, frequency and power factor (or the fourier components thereof) the temperature of the conductor, and the temperature of the ambient air. The modules transmit these parameters to local receivers. The receivers are connected by an appropriate data transmission link, to a power control center which allows determination of the state of the power system. Appropriate control signals are transmitted back to the electrical switchgear of the system to bring it to the appropriate optimum state. Direct local control may also be effected, for example, the prevention of overloading a transformer. A "donut" state estimator module comprises a novel hot stick operated hinge clamp and a novel voltage sensor which measures the current between an isolated capacitor plate and ground. The donut measures the fourier components of voltage and current over a number of cycles and transmits the components to the local receiver. The local receiver derives the desired electrical measurements such as voltage, current, power factor, power, and reactive power and transmits them to local or remote control stations. Up to 15 donut modules may transmit on a single channel to a single local receiver. Each transmits at intervals which are an integral number. The intervals between transmissions of all donuts do not have a common factor and the average interval is the desired transmission rate. Each donut uses the zero crossover of current of its conductor to establish its transmission interval. The system is self-calibrating using known reference signals within the donut module.