Per the "Newest" GFCIs:
With one type, when the electronics fail and you no longer have GFCI protection all the happens is a green LED changes to red. With the other type the device locks the power out, but only after a test or power failure.
This is discouraging news to me!
I really thought the devices had some type of "Crowbar" feature, which opened the Line (input) circuitry to the device, when it became "Non-Protecting" (lost the GFCI trip ability) - and the device would be Non-Resetable and unusable...PERIOD!!!
I guess it's just too difficult to fuse the Line side, and create a crowbar which knocks out the fuse if the device looses its trip / sensor circuitry.
Very sad news, indeed.
As far as the AFCI thing, it really seems to me that predicting and reacting to an Arc pattern is difficult at best.
Not that it can not be done, just that it is such a variable state to log. That, along with the many many factors of a "good" pattern (non problematic circuit components) applied to the nearly infinite loads and installations, makes me wonder if the approaches should be taken from different ways.
I would like to see (and if possible, even assist in the developments of) accurate fault interruption devices, which will drammatically reduce the hazards of fires in dwelling units.
The ideas I have would _Possibly Work_, but _Definitely_ increase the costs of Residential Wiring - which is not a good tradeoff.
Need to "think outside the box" on this one, and maybe think up something which would be effective!
Just wanted to toss in my 2ยข
Scott35
