Portable circuit interrupter shutoff testing device and method

A tester for a circuit-interrupter, wherein the circuit-interrupter includes an overload-trip function and an instantaneous-trip function, the tester comprising:

• an electrical plug having a first external electrical connector and a second external electrical connector;
• a control circuit that outputs a control signal;
• an electronic switch selectively enabled by the control signal;
• and
• an electrical load connected to the electronic switch such that the electronic switch connects the electrical load to the first external electrical connector and the second external electrical connector as controlled by the control signal, wherein the electrical load is sufficient to trigger the instantaneous-trip function of the circuit-interrupter;
• wherein the electronic switch includes a silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR), and the control circuit provides an enabling control signal pulse to the SCR at a point in time when an electrical load on the SCR is about 30 volts.

A method of testing a circuit-interrupter, wherein the circuit-interrupter includes an overload-trip function and an instantaneous-trip function, the method comprising:

• providing a portable testing device that includes an electrical plug having a first external electrical connector and a second external electrical connector;
• connecting the first and second external electrical connectors to a socket that is wired to a load side of the circuit interrupter;
• receiving a stimulation indication;
• and
• selectively connecting an electrical load to first and second external electrical connectors connected to the wires connected to the load side of the circuit interrupter based on the reception of the stimulation indication, wherein the electrical load is sufficient to trigger the instantaneous-trip function of the circuit-interrupter.

A method of testing a circuit-interrupter, wherein the circuit-interrupter includes an overload-trip function and an instantaneous-trip function, the method comprising:

• providing an electrical plug having a first external electrical connector and a second external electrical connector that are connected by wires to the circuit interrupter;
• receiving a stimulation indication;
• and
• selectively connecting an electrical load to the first and second external electrical connectors that are connected to the wires connected to the circuit interrupter based on the reception of the stimulation indication, wherein the electrical load is sufficient to trigger the instantaneous-trip function of the circuit-interrupter, wherein the selectively connecting includes providing an enabling control signal pulse to an SCR at a point in time when an electrical load on the SCR is about 30 volts.

An apparatus comprising:

• an electrical connector adapted to be connected to a load-side circuit of a circuit interrupter;
• a control circuit;
• an electronic switch;
• and
• an electrical load selectively connectable to the electrical connector by the electronic switch as controlled by the control circuit, wherein the electrical load causes an instantaneous trip current to be drawn through load-side circuit of the circuit interrupter, wherein the instantaneous trip current is sufficient to meet an instantaneous trip current specification of the circuit interrupter.

A device for testing an instantaneous-trip function of a circuit interrupter having a designated fault current rating which is supplied with a certain line voltage, with the instantaneous-trip function being responsive to an overload condition on the load-side of the circuit interrupter where the line voltage and the resistance of the load-side circuit of the circuit interrupter affects the quantity of current available for tripping the circuit interrupter, the tester comprising:

• connectors adapted to connect with the load-side circuit of the circuit interrupter;
• a control circuit which issues a control signal;
• an electronic switch enabled by the control signal;
• and
• an electrical load connected to and disconnected to from the load-side circuit via the selective enabling of the electronic switch producing a fault current sufficient to test the instantaneous-trip function subject to the resistance of the load-side resistance.

A method of testing the instantaneous-trip function of a circuit interrupter, the method comprising:

• providing a portable testing device that includes an electrical plug having a first external electrical connector and a second external electrical connector adapted to be plugged into a socket wired to a load side of the circuit interrupter, and
• receiving a stimulation indication;
• and
• selectively connecting and disconnecting an electrical load to and from the load-side of the circuit interrupter conditional on a receiving of the stimulation indication, wherein the electrical load, when connected, supplies sufficient current to test the instantaneous-trip function of the circuit interrupter.

A tester for testing a circuit interrupter having a line-side, a load-side, a designated instantaneous-tripping current and a designated clearing time, the tester comprising:

• a first electrical connector adapted to connect to the load-side circuit's hot conductor of the circuit interrupter;
• a second electrical connector adapted to connect to the load-side circuit's neutral conductor of the circuit interrupter;
• a control circuit that outputs a control signal for a predetermined time period based on the designated clearing time;
• and
• an electronic switch which when enabled by the control signal during the predetermined time period conducts a current proportional to the resistance of the circuit of the load-side of the circuit interrupter plus the resistance of the tester's circuit and which when disabled by the control signal after the time period's end effectively discontinues the current.

A tester for testing an instantaneous-trip function of a circuit interrupter, the circuit interrupter having a load-side circuit, the tester comprising:

• a first external electrical connector for connecting to the load-side circuit's hot conductor of the circuit interrupter and a second electrical connector for connecting to the load-side circuit's neutral conductor of the circuit interrupter;
• means for initiating, maintaining for a predetermined time, and then terminating a control signal;
• and
• an electronic switch responsive to the control signal such that, when the switch is conducting, a completed circuit communicating a fault current proportional to the resistance of the circuit is created.