Patent ID: 8400744

Claim:
A module connectable to a circuit breaker having a movable contact for making or breaking electrical connections with a circuit protected by the circuit breaker, comprising: an enclosure configured to be connected to the circuit breaker; a power supply within the enclosure, the power supply including: a voltage input configured to receive an operating range of nominal operating voltages from one or more conductors carrying one or more phases of electrical current through the circuit breaker and to provide a constant direct current voltage output across the operating range of nominal voltages inputted into the power supply, a ratio of a maximum nominal operating voltage to a minimum nominal operating voltage in the operating range exceeding 4:1, a inductive element connected between the voltage input and a tripping coil of the circuit breaker, a voltage clamp, a storage element in parallel with the voltage clamp, each connected between the inductive element and the trip coil, for suppressing a transient voltage presented at the voltage input, wherein the inductive element reduces a peak current absorbed by the storage element and by the voltage clamp, and a rectifier circuit connected between the inductive element and the storage element without any transformers along a conduction path from the voltage input to the storage element, wherein the voltage clamp and the storage element are connected to an output of the rectifier circuit; and a current sensor surrounding the one or more conductors and producing a signal indicative of the current flowing through the one or more conductors for causing the circuit breaker to trip in response to detecting an electrical fault, wherein the storage element is a capacitor having a rating above the maximum nominal voltage of the operating range, and wherein the voltage clamp includes a transient voltage suppression (TVS) diode for absorbing transient voltages above a clamping voltage of the voltage clamp.