Load break switch with built-in ground fault sensing

A plural phase high current low voltage load break switch comprising:

• an insulator base;
• a plurality of individual phase circuits mounted on and extending across the base, in parallel spaced relation to each other, each phase circuit including in series an input connector, a fixed switch contact, a movable switch contact, a fuse, and an output connector;
• a neutral conductor mounted on and extending across the base in parallel spaced relation to the phase circuits;
• a switch operator mechanism, mounted on the base and connected to all of the movable switch contacts, for opening and closing such contacts simultaneously, the switch operator mechanism including an electrically operated trip actuator for actuating the operator mechanism to open the switch contacts;
• a zero sequence ground fault sensor coil disposed in encompassing relation to all of the phase circuits and the neutral conductor, the ground fault sensor coil being aligned with and encompassing the portions of the phase circuits comprising the movable contacts of the switch;
• and
• a control relay, electrically connected to the ground fault sensor coil and to the trip actuator, for energizing the trip actuator in response to the sensing of a ground fault condition by the sensor coil.