A stand alone protective apparatus and method is provided for electrical power devices. Power devices can be damaged due to conditions for example of over current, magnetizing in rush-current, over exitation voltage, saturation, ground fault or internal faults. To protect power devices from the noted conditions, electrical current of the power device is sensed and sampled. Digital processing is used for analyzing the digitally coded sample current and based on one of the conditions that can cause damage, a signal is provided for selectively actuating, by tripping an electric/electronic circuit breaker.