Abstract:
The invention relates to a vacuum interrupter with at least one movable and at least one fixed contact, arranged inside of a vacuum tight ceramic housing, wherein the vacuum interrupter is provided with means to determine the actual residual gas pressure inside the vacuum tight ceramic housing. In order to measure the actual residual pressure inside a vacuum interrupter, even when the vacuum interrupter is in operation, and to realize it with compact means, the invention is, that the means for determing the residual gas pressure inside the vacuum tight ceramic housing are means for generating an inhomogenous magnetic field inside the vacuum tight ceramic housing, operating as an electron trap, and that furthermore one of the contacts represents an anode, and a further element implemented inside the vacuum interrupter represents the cathode for measing a current, which represents the aforesaid residual gas pressure.