Smart socket with in-built isolation switch

A smart socket comprising:

• a housing having a front side and an opposing back side, the housing houses:
• a socket receptacle for receiving an electrical plug, the socket receptacle is accessible from the front side of the housing;
• one or more power connections for connecting to a power source, the one or more power connections accessible from the back side of the housing;
• a power input port for receiving input power from the one or more power connections;
• an isolation switch electrically coupled between one or more of the power connections and the power input port, wherein the isolation switch, when in a closed position, allows power to pass from the power connections to the power input port, and when in an open position, does not allow power to pass from the power connections to the power input port thereby isolating the power input port from the power source, the isolation switch includes an isolation switch actuator accessible from outside of the housing, wherein the isolation switch actuator is manually movable by a user to manually switch the isolation switch between the closed position and the open position;
• a receptacle switch operatively coupled between the power input port and the socket receptacle, the receptacle switch, when in a closed position, allows power to pass from the power input port to the socket receptacle, and when in an open position, does not allow power to pass from the power input port to the socket receptacle;
• a wireless communication circuit for wirelessly communicating with a remote device;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the receptacle switch and the wireless communication circuit, the controller configured to receive one or more commands via the wireless communication circuit, including a command that causes the controller to switch the receptacle switch between the closed position and the open position.

A method for testing a power line network of a building, wherein the building includes a plurality of smart sockets connected to the power line network, with each smart socket configured to receive an electrical plug from a corresponding electrical appliance and each smart socket is configured to wirelessly report one or more power parameters of power delivered by the smart socket from the power line network to the corresponding electrical appliance, wherein each smart socket includes an isolation switch actuator accessible from outside of the smart socket to actuate an isolation switch of the smart socket to electrically isolate the smart socket from the power line network of the building, the method comprising:

• manually actuating the isolation switch actuator of each of the plurality of smart sockets that are connected to the power line network to electrically isolate each of the plurality of smart sockets from the power line network of the building;
• performing a test of the power line network of the building;
• and
• manually actuating the isolation switch actuator of each of the plurality of smart sockets to re-connect each of the plurality of smart sockets to the power line network of the building.