A latching relay comprising: a first coil ; a second coil ; a common plunger operatively connected between said first coil and said second coil such that activation of said first coil moves said plunger in a first direction to a first position and activation of said second coil moves said plunger in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, to a second position, wherein the first direction and the second direction lie in a first plane; a pin protruding from said common plunger , a limit switch comprising a common contact , a first coil contact and a second coil contact , wherein a position of said common contact is alternately switched between electrical connection to either the first coil contact or the second coil contact based on a position of said plunger ; said first coil contact being electrically connected to said first coil and said second coil contact being electrically connected to said second coil such that when electrical power is applied to the common contact , the electrical power is alternately applied to either the first coil or the second coil depending on the position of the common contact ; characterized in that the latching relay further comprises: a slide toggle accessible by a user, said slide toggle operatively connected to said common plunger and slideable together with said common plunger such that actuation of the slide toggle by the user causes manual actuation of said common plunger , said slide toggle being slideable in a second plane that is parallel to the first plane, and wherein said slide toggle has an elongated slot formed therein, said elongated slot cooperating with the pin . a first coil ; a second coil ; a common plunger operatively connected between said first coil and said second coil such that activation of said first coil moves said plunger in a first direction to a first position and activation of said second coil moves said plunger in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, to a second position, wherein the first direction and the second direction lie in a first plane; a pin protruding from said common plunger , a limit switch comprising a common contact , a first coil contact and a second coil contact , wherein a position of said common contact is alternately switched between electrical connection to either the first coil contact or the second coil contact based on a position of said plunger ; said first coil contact being electrically connected to said first coil and said second coil contact being electrically connected to said second coil such that when electrical power is applied to the common contact , the electrical power is alternately applied to either the first coil or the second coil depending on the position of the common contact ; characterized in that the latching relay further comprises: a slide toggle accessible by a user, said slide toggle operatively connected to said common plunger and slideable together with said common plunger such that actuation of the slide toggle by the user causes manual actuation of said common plunger , said slide toggle being slideable in a second plane that is parallel to the first plane, and wherein said slide toggle has an elongated slot formed therein, said elongated slot cooperating with the pin . <EOS>