Ground fault circuit breaker with remote testing capability

A circuit breaker comprising;

• a housing;
• a line terminal disposed on the housing, said line terminal adapted to be connected to a power source circuit to provide electrical power;
• a load terminal disposed on the housing, said load terminal adapted to be connected to a load circuit;
• a pair of contacts movable with respect to each other between a closed position wherein the line terminal and the load terminal are in electrical communication with each other, and an open position wherein the line terminal and the load terminal are electrically isolated from each other;
• a trip mechanism connected to at least one of said pair of contacts, said trip mechanism causing said pair of contacts to move from the closed position to the open position in response to an overcurrent, thereby tripping the circuit breaker;
• a fault detector configured to detect a fault in an electrical signal in said load circuit, wherein when a fault is detected on the load circuit, said fault detector causes actuation of said pair of contacts to the open condition;
• a communication interface adapted to receive a remote test command signal that is automatically generated periodically;
• a processor that generates, in response to receipt of the remote test command signal, a simulated fault in the load circuit, such that said fault detector attempts to cause actuation of said pair of contacts to the open condition;
• wherein said processor determines whether or not said fault detector successfully caused actuation of said pair of contacts to the open condition in response to receipt of the remote test command signal, and if not, generates an alarm signal indicative of a malfunction;
• wherein said processor is adapted to receive a remote off command via the communication interface, and in response to the remote off command, generate a simulated fault in the load circuit, such that said fault detector causes actuation of said pair of contacts to the open condition, whereby one and the same pair of contacts is employed for both fault tripping and commanded tripping and
• a resetting mechanism, said resetting mechanism adapted to allow for said pair of contacts to be reset from the open condition to the closed condition upon receipt of a reset command signal via said communication interface, wherein the reset command signal is generated automatically by said processor if said processor determines that said fault detector successfully caused actuation of said pair of contacts to the open condition in response to receipt of the remote test command signal.