fig8 describes the overall flow of operating modes including a startup mode initializing a passive mode when the power operator 10 is not operating the output 12 and a monitor mode which is entered when the position of the operator output 12 has changed when in the passive mode or after active operation has stopped the flow diagram of fig8 also describes the basic control flow and interaction between the various control modes as will be explained in more detail hereinafter in accordance with important aspects of a preferred embodiment of the present invention and with specific reference now to fig6 when operation between positions is desired the control 100 determines when the operator output 12 has reached the next operating position of the switchgear 20 via the monitoring of the current drawn by the drive source 40 to detect the change in state of the operating mechanism of the switchgear 20 for example the operating mechanism of the switchgear 20 trips a latch to drive the switchgear to the next operative position when the latch trips the current drawn by the drive source 40 will drop as the operating mechanism operates to drive the switchgear 20 into the operative position thus while the control 100 monitors the position of the operator output 12 the decision that the operator output 12 has driven the switchgear 20 into the desired operative position is determined by the current of the drive source 40 specifically when the control 100 receives an input to perform an operation as indicated by the flow from an active mode block 120 the program flow proceeds to a function.