Circuit breaker and method of controlling its operation

A circuit breaker includes an external oscillation circuit (14) which generates a high speed external clock for operating a microcomputer (8) at a high speed, a timing circuit (15) which sets a timing corresponding to an oscillation stable time from start-up of the external oscillation circuit (14) up to a time when the oscillation of the external oscillation circuit (14) gets stable, and an operation clock selecting circuit (13) which selectively supplies a low speed internal clock from the internal oscillation circuit (12) as an operation clock of the microcomputer at start-up of the microcomputer and a high speed external clock from the external oscillation circuit (14) as the operation clock of the microcomputer after elapse of the timing set by the timing circuit (15).