Testing and monitoring of an electrical connection

A switching device for coupling to a load, the switching device comprising:

• a line conductor;
• a power cord conductor;
• a breaker disposed between the line conductor and the power cord conductor;
• a microcontroller coupled to the breaker and the power cord conductor, the microcontroller operable for testing for one or more faults in the power cord conductor or the load coupled to the power cord conductor;
• and
• a power line communication module comprising a signal transformer, the signal transformer coupled on a first side of the switching device to the power cord conductor and coupled on a second side of the switching device to the line conductor, the signal transformer for transmitting communication signals between the load and a remote device.

An indicator device for coupling to a load, the indicator device comprising:

• a line conductor;
• a power cord conductor;
• a breaker disposed between the line conductor and the power cord conductor;
• a microcontroller coupled to the breaker and the power cord conductor, the microcontroller operable for testing for one or more faults in the power cord conductor or the load coupled to the power cord conductor;
• a power line communication module comprising a signal transformer, the signal transformer coupled on a first side of the indicator device to the power cord conductor and coupled on a second side of the indicator device to the line conductor, the signal transformer for transmitting communication signals between the load and a remote device;
• and
• an indicator for providing a result of the testing performed by the microcontroller, the indicator being visual, audible, or both visual and audible.