ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area AFCI breakers

It sure does. I like the way the company mentions "moderate cost" and a few thousand dollars in the same sentence!

From the article in EC & M on AFCIs they are suppose to detect arc faults as low as an amp, these faults have a ccertain signature when viewed on an O-scope and this has been encorporated into the AFCI. The reasoning is that just a small arc will not trip a breaker but if allowed to continue could start a fire. Also in '99 they wanted to require all new construction to have the whole residence wired with these new devices but was shot down, so they settled for the bedrooms to start, then for 2002 code, they decided to include all outlets in the bedroom area and smoke detetectors. My question is if an arc is intermittant and trips the breaker it will be a real nightmare finding the offending outlet.

The facts collected to the point where we are with AFCI's are , at least in my point of view, questionable.

The reality will , in time, prove or disprove the manufacturing hype that many of us ( Like nesparky..) are assuming.

The diagnostics of AFCI activity will probably come from this forum before manufacturer's

Well had my forth and final trouble call today at a custom house we did for an EE I know. He asked me to put in the Arc Fault breakers in his new house. He and his lovely family moved in 3 weeks ago. Seems that almost every morning, when his wife drys her hair down goesw the master bedroom power. Three times the arc fault breaker tripped and would not reset. They told me they reset it several times before it would not reset. All wiring tests just fine as does the outlets. But let her run a hair dryer and good bye power.
Today those $28.00 arc faults are back at the supply house.(all 4 of them) Told them I want my money back. Regular 20 amp breakers are now in the panel. At the EEs request all outlet wiring in his house is #10-2G romex with all outlets pigtailed with #12.
Yes he paid for it - he is also not very happy with the new arc fault breakers.
Thankfully since he is an EE, he understands the problem-- His wife is madder than He**. She does not want me back.

geez...
try an' be a good doobie, an loose a customer !

Nesparky
I would take them out, since it doesnt go into effect until january '02, and by that time this house is pre-existing.

Newly-published book explains AFCIs

The new 2000 edition of Overcurrents and Undercurrents, published by Reptec, is the first book to explain the
technology behind arc-fault circuit-interrupters (AFCIs).

AFCIs protect against arcing faults whose characteristics that may not cause
conventional circuit breakers or ground-fault circuit-interrupters (GFCIs) to trip.

Overcurrents and Undercurrents also covers GFCIs and ground-fault protection
for equipment. Its author is Earl W. Roberts, long-time chairman of N.E. Code-making Panel 2.

The book costs $25 including shipping and handling, and can be ordered directly from Reptec at (860) 536-4496
or reptec1@aol.com.

Does Earl explain how to test them in the field Joe? We all could loose work the same way if we cannot provied Mama solid evidence that it's NOT the AFCI, it IS your hairdryer.

The arc fault c/b are gone from this house. That repair worked. Since i gave those pieces of junk back, the sales rep and tech support guys are sure trying to make excuses-sorry assist in problem resolution- but they do not want to give my money back.
Doubt if I'll buy them again. Even if it means not bidding housing work. Cannot afford numerous warrenty trouble calls and no back up by suppliers.

http://www.squared.com/us/products/circuitb.nsf/07a0210021262d45862564b5006e4f84/7d00b860907fc6a38525694600549bd6/$FILE/12303.pdf

Look here for testing information.