Arc Fault Circuit Breaker Requirements

The national electrical code nec requirements for arc fault circuit interrupters afcis have become more stringent with each passing code cycle stirring up much discussion and debate among builders electrical contractors and other professionals involved in home construction.

Arc fault circuit breaker requirements.

An afci selectively distinguishes between a harmless arc incidental to normal operation of switches plugs and brushed motors and a potentially dangerous arc that can. Keep reading to find out. If you have a problem with an afci arc fault circuit interrupter shutting off in you main electrical panel you re not alone. Nfpa 70 national electrical code nec first required arc fault circuit interrupters afcis in the 1999 edition.

With ever changing electrical code requirements a circuit breaker with the ability to provide both arc fault protection as well as ground fault gfci protection was long overdue. An arc fault circuit interrupter afci also known as an arc fault detection device afdd is a circuit breaker that breaks the circuit when it detects an electric arc in the circuit it protects to prevent electrical fires. The 2005 edition required combination afcis which respond to both parallel and series arcs for all electrical circuits that supply outlets in bedrooms of new homes. This is simply a matter of locating the circuit s hot wires black red or blue that are connected to the circuit breaker and the circuit s neutral white wire and replacing the circuit breaker in the panel with the afci type.

Use afci circuit breakers to add arc fault protection to the entire length of existing circuits. Afci in main panel. You ll find afcis in the main electrical panel or a subpanel. Reset an arc fault breaker like you would a standard circuit breaker.

Where afci are needed. Help create safer living spaces and provide valuable electrical safety and protection by understanding the requirements for afci and gfci protection. Solve an afci tripping problem. Afci and gfci requirements.

An arc fault circuit interrupter or afci is required on certain circuits to protect against electrical fires by cutting power when arc faults occur. A combination arc fault circuit breaker is not equivalent to a dual function circuit breaker. So where are arc fault breakers required for 2017. Arc fault circuit interrupters 2017 nec update the 2017 nec update has increased the requirements for arc fault circuit interrupters afcis.

While these devices were previously only required to protect the bedroom the 2008 nec now requires the technology to. Before 2008 afcis were only required to protect bedrooms. But beware the combination function that is identified on recently.