How did this devolve into an attack on AFCI's? IMO, that's another topic, one we have visited several times before.
It is the AFCI discussion that is responsible, in part, for my BS detector ringing at the very mention of "physics." This is because "physics" was raised in the AFCI debate, and I'm not at all happy with the discussions that followed.
Some made mention of "Paschen's Law" and assert that the law makes it impossible for an AFCI to operate at household voltages. Alas, apart from simple, brief entries that all trace back to the same source, I have not been able to find any general discussion of this purported 'law.' I would love to find this 'law' discussed in some standard physics or engineering text.
Conversely, I am troubled by the lack of rebuttal of this 'law' by industry, as well as the willingness of the code panel to continue to require something that can't exist.
As for testing at UL, I am greatly disturbed by the fact that UL does NOT test these devices for any sort of arc. A simple 'off' button in the device would allow it to pass the UL "test."
In addition, the AFCI industry has stridently opposed any manner of AFCI tester being developed. In effect, each AFCI maker is asking you to buy a product to protect you against a secret problem that only they can define.
As wonderful as the proposed 'glowing connection technology' may be, I remember the way the AFCI was brought into the code, with what can only be called 'bait and switch' tactics.
