Direct current and battery disconnect apparatus

A battery disconnect apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• a battery terminal;
• a load terminal;
• separable contacts electrically connected between said battery terminal and said load terminal;
• an operating mechanism structured to open and close said separable contacts;
• a manual operator cooperating with said operating mechanism to open and close said separable contacts;
• a current sensor structured to sense current flowing between said battery terminal and said load terminal;
• and
• a circuit cooperating with said current sensor and said operating mechanism to trip open said separable contacts in response to at least one of an arc fault condition, an overload condition and a short circuit condition associated with said sensed current, said circuit comprising a first input structured to receive a remote on/off signal remote from said housing and a second input structured to receive a signal having an inhibit state, said circuit also cooperating with said operating mechanism to open and close said separable contacts in response to said remote on/off signal remote from said housing, and to inhibit detection of said at least one of said arc fault condition, said overload condition and said short circuit condition responsive to the inhibit state of said second input.

A battery disconnect apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• a battery terminal;
• a load terminal;
• separable contacts electrically connected between said battery terminal and said load terminal;
• a manual operator cooperating with said operating mechanism to open and close said separable contacts;
• an operating mechanism structured to open and close said separable contacts;
• a current sensor structured to sense current flowing between said battery terminal and said load terminal;
• and
• a circuit cooperating with said current sensor and said operating mechanism to trip open said separable contacts in response to at least one of an arc fault condition, an overload condition and a short circuit condition associated with said sensed current, said circuit comprising a first input structured to receive a remote on/off signal remote from said housing, a second input structured to receive a signal having an inhibit state, and a number of outputs structured to indicate status of said battery disconnect apparatus external to said housing, said circuit also cooperating with said operating mechanism to open and close said separable contacts in response to said remote on/off signal remote from said housing, and to inhibit detection of said at least one of said arc fault condition, said overload condition and said short circuit condition responsive to the inhibit state of said second input.

A direct current disconnect apparatus comprising:

• a housing;
• a direct current terminal;
• a load terminal;
• separable contacts electrically connected between said direct current terminal and said load terminal;
• an operating mechanism structured to open and close said separable contacts;
• a current sensor structured to sense direct current flowing between said direct current terminal and said load terminal;
• and
• a circuit cooperating with said current sensor and said operating mechanism to trip open said separable contacts in response to an arc fault condition, said circuit also cooperating with said current sensor and said operating mechanism to trip open said separable contacts in response to at least one of an overload condition and a short circuit condition associated with said sensed direct current, said circuit comprising an input structured to receive a remote on/off signal remote from said housing, said circuit also cooperating with said operating mechanism to open and close said separable contacts in response to said remote on/off signal remote from said housing.