Annunciating or power vending circuit breaker for an electric load

A power vending circuit breaker for an electric load, said power vending circuit breaker comprising:

• a plurality of first terminals;
• a plurality of second terminals;
• a number of separable contacts, at least one of said number of separable contacts being electrically connected between one of said first terminals and one of said second terminals;
• a thermal-magnetic protection circuit electrically connected in series with said at least one of said number of separable contacts between said one of said first terminals and said one of said second terminals;
• a metering circuit within said power vending circuit breaker and operatively associated with power flowing through said at least one of said number of separable contacts between said one of said first terminals and said one of said second terminals;
• a mechanism structured to open or close said number of separable contacts;
• a processor within said power vending circuit breaker and structured to cause said mechanism to open or close said number of separable contacts, to input a plurality of power values from said metering circuit and to determine a plurality of energy values;
• and
• a communication mechanism cooperating with said processor to communicate said energy values to a remote location.

A circuit breaker for an electric load, said circuit breaker comprising:

• a plurality of first terminals;
• a plurality of second terminals;
• a number of separable contacts each of which is electrically connected between one of said first terminals and one of said second terminals;
• a mechanism structured to open or close said number of separable contacts;
• and
• a processor structured to cause said mechanism to open or close said number of separable contacts, annunciate through one of said second terminals a power circuit electrical parameter for said electric load, receive from a number of said second terminals a confirmation from or on behalf of said electric load to cause said mechanism to close said number of separable contacts, and determine a fault state operatively associated with current flowing through said number of separable contacts.