Method and electrical switching apparatus including a number of accessories employing wireless communication

A circuit breaker includes separable contacts, an operating mechanism opening and closing the contacts, a first processor determining an open or closed state of the contacts, and a wireless transceiver transmitting the open or closed state from the first processor and receiving a signal. A first accessory includes a wireless receiver, a second processor and outputs. A second accessory includes a wireless transmitter, a third processor and a circuit generating the signal for or communicating the signal to the third processor, which outputs the signal to the wireless transmitter, which transmits the signal to the wireless transceiver. The first processor receives the signal from the wireless transceiver and causes the mechanism to open or close the contacts. The wireless receiver receives the open or closed state from the wireless transceiver. The second processor receives the open or closed state from the wireless receiver and outputs the same to the outputs.