Miswire protection switch compression spring

A method for making a ground fault circuit interrupt (GFCI) device, the method comprising:

• providing a housing;
• enclosing a GFCI circuit within the housing, the GFCI circuit being configured to detect at least one ground fault condition, the GFCI circuit including a second detection circuit, the second detection circuit including a switch element that is disposed in a first predetermined position prior to enclosing within the GFCI device housing, and remaining in the first predetermined position during at least one post-manufacture test procedure;
• disposing a user-accessible housing feature on the GFCI device housing, the user-accessible housing feature being in operative communication with the switch element;
• performing the at least one post-manufacture test procedure with the switch element in the first predetermined position, the GFCI circuit, the second detection circuit, and the switch element being inaccessibly disposed within the housing;
• and
• applying an externally generated stimulus to the switch element to drive the switch element into a second predetermined position.

A ground fault circuit interrupt (GFCI) device, comprising:

• a GFCI device housing;
• a plurality of line terminals and a plurality of load terminals disposed on the GFCI device housing;
• a GFCI circuit enclosed within GFCI device housing and coupled to the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals, the GFCI circuit being configured to detect at least one ground fault condition;
• a circuit interrupting structure configured to establish electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a reset state and interrupt electrical continuity between the plurality of line terminals and the plurality of load terminals in a tripped state;
• a second detection circuit coupled to the GFCI circuit and disposed within the GFCI device housing, the second detection circuit including a switch element disposed in a first predetermined position prior to enclosure within the GFCI device housing, and remaining in the first predetermined position during at least one post-manufacture test procedure to thereby disarm the second detection circuit during the at least one post-manufacture test procedure;
• and
• a user-accessible housing feature disposed on the GFCI device housing, an external stimulus being applied via the user-accessible housing feature to thereby throw the switch element into a second predetermined position to thereby enable the second detection circuit after the at least one post-manufacture test procedure is completed.