A method for diagnosing the cause of tripping of an electrical protection device includes, after detection by the auxiliary device of a loss of electrical power, determining a type of electrical fault on the basis of recorded values, the determining operation including: comparing, with a first threshold value, the largest value of the maximum intensity of the current from the recorded values for a plurality of measurement intervals preceding the loss of power, a short circuit being diagnosed if the largest value of the maximum intensity is greater than a first threshold value; comparing, with a second threshold value, the largest RMS value of the current from the recorded values, an overload being diagnosed if the largest RMS value is greater than a second threshold value.

A power switch including a contact configured to selectively electrically connect a line input to a load output, a switch configured to selectively control the contract, and an indicator. The contact has a closed position in which the line input is electrically connected to the load output, and an open position in which the line input is not electrically connected to the load output. The switch has an on position wherein the contact is controlled to be in the closed position, and an off position wherein the contact is controlled to be in the open position. The indicator provides a normal on status, a normal off status, and an error on status.

A remote-controlled mechanism according to an embodiment is used for coupling to a protective switching device to use a controllable drive device of the remote-controlled mechanism to actuate the coupled protective switching device. To this end, the remote-controlled mechanism includes: an actuating element operatively connectable to an actuating element of the coupled protective switching device and actuatable either by a remotely controllable drive device of the remote-controlled mechanism or manually; one or more sensor devices for capturing position data relating to a position of the actuating element of the remote-controlled mechanism; and a controller for evaluating the captured position data and for controlling the drive device via control commands. The controller is designed to disable the drive device upon an evaluation of the position data and/or of the control commands revealing that the actuating element of the remote-controlled mechanism has been switched off manually.

A stored energy-type circuit breaker includes a sensor that operates as a full open sensor, and that is used to prevent the circuit breaker from closing in response to either a closing signal or a manual operation. The full open sensor exhibits a first output condition when the moveable contact is in a fully open position and a second output condition when the moveable contact begins to leave the fully open position. An electronic trip unit (ETU) is electrically connected to the sensor and, when in a close break mode, blocks the circuit breaker from closing. The ETU does this by, upon detecting that the sensor is in the second output condition, generating a signal that will cause the breaker's opening spring to return the moveable contact to the fully open position.

A switchgear assembly includes an indicator assembly to indicate whether a movable contact is in an open or a closed position. The indicator assembly includes an indicator body having first and second sections. The indicator body is rotatable to display the first section in the open position and the second section in the closed position. The indicator assembly also includes a drive gear having a first helical spline and coupled to an actuator of the switchgear assembly such that operation of the actuator moves the drive gear, and an elongated driven gear having a second helical spline extending along a length of the driven gear and engaged with the first helical spline of the drive gear such that movement of the drive gear rotates the driven gear. The driven gear is coupled to the indicator body such that rotation of the driven gear causes rotation of the indicator body.

A method for identifying a type of fault condition with a circuit breaker includes detecting by the circuit breaker a fault condition of a plurality of fault conditions, storing in a memory device a trip code representing a type of the detected fault condition, interrupting current flow through the branch circuit in response to detecting the fault condition, and receiving a reset of the circuit breaker. The trip code may then be displayed in response to a momentary press of a test button that is a short duration press, and activating an LED interface in the circuit breaker to indicate the trip code representing the type of the detected fault condition.

A visual trip indicator for a circuit breaker is disclosed. The electronic components of a visual trip indicator are enclosed in a module that attaches to the circuit breaker handle or within pocket defined in the circuit breaker housing. The visual trip indicator includes a light source operated by a state machine which clearly indicates which circuit breaker, of a group of circuit breakers or in a poorly illuminated enclosure, is tripped. The visual trip indicator also indicating, by a coded light signal, the approximate remaining life of an independent power supply powering the visual trip indicator.

A circuit interrupter movable among ON, OFF, and TRIP positions includes a housing, a latch situated on the housing, a number of mechanisms situated on the housing, each mechanism of the number of mechanisms including a contact arm that is movable with respect to the housing, a set of separable contacts including a stationary contact and further including a movable contact situated on the contact arm, a handle, a pin, a first spring that extends between the contact arm and the handle in at least one of the OFF position and the ON position, a second spring that extends between the handle and the pin, and the pin being movable among a position engaged with the latch in at least one of the ON position and the OFF position and another position engaged with the handle in the TRIP position.

A circuit breaker can include a light source, an optical sensor, a handle and a processor. The handle can be movable between different handle positions which correspond to different circuit breaker statuses. The handle can include a handle body and a light control plate which moves along with the handle body. The light control plate can have different light passage regions each of which is configured to be positioned between the light source and the optical sensor when the handle is moved to a corresponding one of the different handle positions. Each of the different light passage regions allows a different amount of light emitted from the light source to pass to the sensor when positioned between the light source and the sensor. The processor is configured to determine a status of the circuit breaker based on the sensed amount of light which relates to a position of the handle.

The present invention relates to an enclosed type electromagnetic switch having a status indication function, and more particularly, to and enclosed-type electromagnetic switch having a status indication function that can show the electromagnetic switch's status on an enclosure.