You'd maybe better posted that thread in the Non-US subforum.

RCD is not equal to GFCI. A "normal" RCD does not need an normal input voltage voltage to act, it consists of a passive coil adding up the currents going thru. This nowadays works down to 30mA for three phase and 10 mA for one phase systems. The typical cut off time is 10 to 30 ms. In German f.i. they are abbreviated "FI"-switch. A standard GFCI is probably more comparable to a "DI"-switch which is used as additional protection measure but depends on the presence of a reasonable input voltage to run its internal electronics.

In harmonized norms both types are called RCD, but the second type is rare here.

But your point was AFCI. As a matter of fact I've invested the last thirty minutes to understand what that is, still I do not understand how it really works, but I've never heard about that in Western Europe.

May be we have no arcing just shorts?

[Linked Image] Wolfgang

[This message has been edited by Wolfgang (edited 11-09-2005).]