Questions tagged [afci]

Arc-fault circuit interrupter are safety switches, similar to GFCI, that are used to detect electrical arcing and shutoff power to prevent the risk of fire.

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6 answers
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Where should I NOT use a GFCI or AFCI?

There is a lot of information out there about the benefits of GFCI and AFCI and the places where they must or should be used. But are there any circumstances where you're better off without them? If I ...
dlf's user avatar
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17 votes
3 answers
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Bosch Drawer Microwave causes ARC Faults

I have a brand new Bosch Microwave (model: hmd8451uc) installed as the only device on the entire circuit. Anytime I use the Microwave on this circuit, it triggers the breaker's ARC Fault. Breaker (...
Arian F's user avatar
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15 votes
4 answers
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Loss of power when I remove item from the outlet

I have this unusual electrical issue in our master bedroom. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this. We have this $3 LED night light in our bedroom and when we take it out, the power/...
Vipul Mistry's user avatar
15 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why does my waffle maker regularly trip AFCI?

Our house (built in 2017) has per code a large percentage of combination GFCI/AFCI breakers. We have a waffle maker that regularly trips the breaker just as its heating up cycle is about to complete. ...
jcoleman's user avatar
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13 votes
5 answers
3k views

Square D Homeline AFCI breakers trip for all appliances

I'm trying to install AFCI breakers on my kitchen SABCs (2x 20A circuits), in my Square D Homeline panel. Unfortunately, the breakers trip whenever I try to do anything useful on those circuits. I've ...
peter's user avatar
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12 votes
5 answers
20k views

What could be causing AFCI breaker and GFCI receptacle nuisance tripping?

I have a very unusual set of electrical issues that have proven difficult to troubleshoot. I live in a newly constructed house. Each bedroom has AFCI breakers. In the past 3 years living there, the ...
Omar Shahine's user avatar
11 votes
5 answers
32k views

Should I use a GFCI or AFCI circuit breaker with knob and tube wiring?

My American house was built in 1942, and much of the wiring is still knob-and-tube wiring (2-wire, no ground). Over the years new modern wiring has been added to the house, but we still have some KnT ...
Stefan Lasiewski's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is it worth it to replace old style breakers with GFCI or AFCI breakers?

I have older wiring on my house (2-wire) BX. And while it's all in good condition, and I do check the outlets monthly to make certain it's still grounded, I'm wary of the BX sheathing as the ground. ...
Spencer K's user avatar
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9 votes
2 answers
455 views

What is an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter?

What is an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) and where should they be used?
Ed.T's user avatar
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9 votes
2 answers
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Can I put an AFCI receptacle on a branch circuit that shares a neutral with another branch circuit?

So, I have a Square D QO panel that had one of the original AFCI breakers go bad, and in the process of researching how to fix that, I learned a bit about this whole AFCI thing and how newer code ...
Kumba's user avatar
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8 votes
3 answers
18k views

What should I do if my vacuum trips my AFCI device?

I have a vacuum that trips the AFCI device of the circuit that services my bedroom. The vacuum has some age on it, and there is some wear on the motor's commutator. This wear causes electrical ...
Edwin's user avatar
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7 votes
4 answers
1k views

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter vs AFCI

What is the key difference between a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter and an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter? The Acronyms AFCI/GFCI kind of tell us that they do, detect ground faults and arc faults, ...
hello moto's user avatar
7 votes
5 answers
19k views

Why does my microwave trip my AFCI only when it's mostly empty?

I live in a recently redone home and I'm having a very odd electrical issue. My microwave is intermittently tripping a combination arc fault breaker only when it is mostly empty, e.g. one slice of ...
Francis's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
27k views

AFCI breakers/protection and refrigerators - a bad idea?

The 2014 NEC requires AFCI protection for refrigerators. I've read that one shouldn't use GFCI protection for a refrigerator, but I know that AFCI breakers do include ground-fault protection (at a ...
PhilPDX's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
1k views

Do AFCI and GFCI protect against cheap equipment and bad wiring?

Generally I only buy electrical fixtures (lights, fans, etc.) from a reputable seller out of concern for fire risks, but if AFCI breakers and GFCI receptacles are installed, would that eliminate any ...
g491's user avatar
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6 votes
3 answers
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What should I do if the AFCI breaker neutral pigtail is too short?

I am wiring a house that I built, and code says I need an AFCI for the bedroom circuit. The panel that I will be installing this AFCI breaker in is a subpanel, so my ground/neutrals are on 2 ...
Jrowe's user avatar
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6 votes
5 answers
39k views

What rooms or loads require AFCI protection?

Do I need AFCI for dedicated circuits like sump pumps, furnaces, microwave, refrigerator etc.
Wojtek's user avatar
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5 votes
3 answers
12k views

When to change Cutler-Hammer electrical panel and breakers?

I bought a house about a year ago and I have an old Cutler-Hammer electrical panel. I see the number 2001 written on there, but no idea when it was installed. I have a few questions about this panel: ...
Joe's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
1k views

Is it possible to tell from labels if the breakers are AFCI / GFCI in the main panel?

I'm deciding if I should upgrade my main panel, and one of the input I want to understand is how different is this panel from modern code requirement. From the photos below, is it possible to tell if ...
zlx's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
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Looking for some guidance on knob and tube

I have recently moved into a 1920s apartment in Chicago. My landlord has only owned the building for a few years and does not know the details of the electrical system. I have some electrical devices ...
osteichthyes's user avatar
5 votes
4 answers
4k views

Does a laundry room circuit need GFCI protection?

I want to update the wiring in my laundry room but get confused about the requirements for this designated circuit. As I understand, Arc Fault protection breakers (AFCI) are now required for laundry ...
Trojan's user avatar
  • 53
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

Dual Function AFCI/GFCI breakers trip under any load

This is a new subpanel in a workshop and the electrician told me because it's new all circuits have to be AFCI and because it's an outbuilding it should be GFCI too. So, I purchased these breakers in ...
Ryan Detzel's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
3k views

Device keeps tripping AFCI device

I have a BedJet device that I run at night that keeps tripping the ARC-fault breaker in my bedroom after about 30 minutes of running nearly 70% of time (other times it works just fine). I have tried ...
patrick's user avatar
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5 votes
5 answers
13k views

Why are multiple AFCI breakers tripping randomly in my new home?

We have a brand new home in Puget Sound which we moved into 2 months ago. We are plagued with constant, random, tripping of multiple AFCI breakers on a daily basis. Some days, just two or three ...
Joe Whistler's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
232 views

AFCI trips when adjacent breaker is switched on

I added 2 separate circuits to a small space on the first floor. Both circuits were AFCI/GFI protected in the breaker panel. Both circuit home runs ran to one junction box before splitting. 1st ...
Handydoc's user avatar
  • 121
5 votes
4 answers
19k views

Refrigerator trips new AFCI/GFCI circuit breakers

Remodeled kitchen and electrician had to install new AFCI/GFCI Seimens circuit breakers to comply with code. Now my 8 yr old Samsung 24 cu ft refrigerator trips the c/b every 12 minutes to as long as ...
jacbec's user avatar
  • 61
5 votes
2 answers
10k views

Is there a good way to hunt down AFCI receptacle nuisance tripping causes?

So a few weeks after I installed a Leviton AFCI receptacle (NOT a breaker), per this question, I am finding that the receptacle constantly trips at random, usually once or twice a week. Some ...
Kumba's user avatar
  • 297
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

Do I need to upgrade my branch circuits to CAFCI/GFCI if I move my electrical panel?

I'm moving my main panelboard as part of a service upgrade. The panelboard is brand new (i.e. I'm not reusing the old board). Do I need to add CAFCI/GFCI breakers on the old branch circuits (as ...
the_meter413's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
1k views

Is there a problem with using a dual function breaker when a CAFCI would suffice?

I am upgrading a handful of breakers - a couple of circuits with lighting need CAFCI and two with outlets need GFCI (I am going with dual function breakers rather than GFCI outlets). I have two ...
susie derkins's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
1k views

AFCI required for fridge dedicated circuit?

My new Samsung fridge is currently on one of my kitchen's two 20A circuits, which I'm trying to bring up to code prior to inspection. This previously caused problems with GFCI on that circuit (see ...
peter's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
332 views

What are the versions of AFCI?

Leviton had an AFCI that said "AFCI 2.0" and one now says "AFCI 3.0". Any idea what the difference is?
adobedodo's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
947 views

How is "continuous wiring" defined in context of the 2017 NEC code?

First, some context: About AFCI protection in Dwelling Units, NEC 2017: 210.12(A) All 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere branch circuits supplying outlets or devices installed [...] shall be ...
Johan van Ravenhorst's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
3k views

AFCI trips immediately

Out of no where, starting today, my Siemens AFCI breaker tripped. It trips immediately every time I attempt to reset it. Nothing has changed in my house. I turned off all light switches and unplugged ...
Paul's user avatar
  • 141
4 votes
2 answers
3k views

What parts of a circuit does an AFCI receptacle protect?

I'm assuming that it will protect against arcing in the appliance that is plugged into it. Will the AFCI receptacle trip if an arc is detected in the wiring from the panel to the receptacle? Will ...
milesmeow's user avatar
  • 5,020
4 votes
6 answers
13k views

Why is an AFCI tripping when a particular light on a different circuit is turned on?

I have 4 GE AFCIs in a GE subpanel in my basement. Occasionally, when I turn on a bank of dimmable CFL lights via a CFL-rated dimmer switch, I get a trip in a particular AFCI breaker that's on the ...
user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
6k views

What options are there to achieve both grounding/ground-fault and arc-fault protection on old 2-wire circuits?

The three receptacle circuits in my house are 2-wire NM, but have 3-prong receptacles. My electrician recommended and installed GFCI breakers to provide "grounding" to these circuits. I now realize ...
littleturtle's user avatar
  • 1,072
4 votes
2 answers
5k views

When replacing a circuit breaker in the service panel, how can I determine which neutral is associated with the hot wire?

In my service panel I would like to upgrade two standard circuit breakers with AFCI breakers. AFCI circuit breakers differ from standard circuit breakers in that you attach the hot an neutral to the ...
Stefan Lasiewski's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

What could be causing AFCI breakers to keep tripping?

I recently had my basement remodeled by a general contractor. This included a bathroom, family room, wet bar, and home theater. The electrician added 4 circuits in total, all of them using arc fault ...
Sam Miller's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
1k views

Where are the two pole CAFCI/GFCI breakers?

Why aren't there very many (any?) two pole dual function breakers? Is a GFCI + CAFCI breaker less useful for 220 or MWBC? Is it be prohibitively expensive? Or is there no demand because not many want ...
Matt Thomas's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
3k views

Two hots, one shared neutral, can it work with plug on neutral GFCI/AFCI breakers?

Situation: A 1950s house with some equally old wiring, and some remaining EMT wiring that is being put onto a new QO main svc panel (QO142M200PCAFVP). This is a plug-on-neutral panel. I believe per ...
sil80's user avatar
  • 567
4 votes
2 answers
12k views

Use of combination CAFCI and GFCI breakers instead of recepticles

I am about to begin a project that will include one or two new circuit for outdoor lights and receptacles attached to the main building. I will probably installing a new home run line from the panel ...
bib's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
8k views

was it ever legal to use 3 wire cable to operate two circuits one neutral 120 volts?

My house was built in the early 60s, I have 4 circuits that are created by using 2 3 wire cables, each hot leg goes to a 120v breaker side by side in the panel. The neutral goes to the neutral bus. I ...
Dave's user avatar
  • 91
4 votes
1 answer
132 views

Power consumption of GFCI+CAFCI combo breaker (Siemens Q115DFN)

Has anyone measured the power consumption of this breaker or a similar one? on the internet one can find horror stories of 1W+ for such breakers but no quantitative data. Data sheet does not mention ...
divB's user avatar
  • 1,225
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

AFCI Compliance with Multiple First Outlets on [Multiwire] Branch Circuit

I've pulled a MWBC into the crawlspace of my house, with one phase supplying outdoor GFCI receptacles and the other phase supplying nothing so far. The conductors are enclosed in a combination of all-...
aerospark's user avatar
  • 141
4 votes
1 answer
342 views

Should I use DF (AFCI + GFCI) breaker for circuit sharing bathroom lights?

I have a bathroom which shares a lighting circuit with other living areas. In California this is required to be AFCI protected, but not required to be GFCI protected (receptacles are on a separate ...
Matthew's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
1k views

Klein RT210 GFCI tester not triggering AFCI breaker

My question is should a GGCI tester work on AFCI breaker? Background: I have a KLEIN RT210 tester with an Eaton AFCI breaker and when test a plug the lights tell me that it is wired correctly, however,...
Xaphann's user avatar
  • 133
3 votes
3 answers
8k views

should 30 yr old home have some/all breakers replaced with AFCI /GFCI? If so, which ones?

My brother-in-law, licensed master electrician was just visiting us. After looking at my break panel he strongly suggested I should replace most, if not all, of my CBs with AFCI. I have a 200A GE ...
peinal's user avatar
  • 1,271
3 votes
5 answers
17k views

Can a surge protector prevent nuisance AFCI breaker trips?

I have a problem with AFCI breakers tripping in my 2 and a half year old house. The builder's electrician said that the cause is from power surges coming from the electrical company and that I need to ...
william parker's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
383 views

New AFCI/GFCI instantly trips when installed downstream from a GFCI - no obvious reasons

House is an older home from the 1890's, the wiring has all been replaced over the years, new panels, all that, but often decades apart so there are many generations of electrical all hooked together, ...
HelloSean's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
544 views

Multiwire Branch Outlet GFCI/AFCI breaker need but no product

I have a multiwire branch circuit (MWBC) connecting my dishwasher and disposal that connects to a Cutler-Hammer (using Eaton breakers) panel. After a renovation, an inspector told me I need the ...
Mike's user avatar
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