Houses with AFCI Breakers.... Basic testers shut off AFCI breakers?!?

[Paul W. Abernathy]

AS greg stated.......it technically is fine for a light outside the bedroom to be on AFCI as well...nothing in the code says the AFCI circuit has to stay in the bedroom......it can do other area of the house as well as the bedroom..

Bedrooms do not have to be dedicated........

[Doug Edwards]

New question regarding AFCIs for the professional sparkies on board and it ties into one issue mentioned earlier.

I did an inspection today on a 4 year old house that had 3 AFCIs stacked on top of each other. The temperature was a little high but not scorching (105 deg.) I did a little digging on the internet (Mike Holt's website) and found not a lot to say about overheating but enough to lead me to believe it is not that uncommon for AFCIs to be a little hot (they are all after all thermal devices) but it brings me to the question that if the aim is to eventually put all circuits on AFCI would this not create a real problem with a panel full of overheating AFCIs? BTW...on article I read specifically mentioned Cutler-Hammer AFCIs as prone to overheating. That is what the home I did today had in it. Has anyone else run across this?

[cbellefontaine]

I was under the impression that AFCI breakers only sensed parallel arcs and not series arcing. Paul, do you have any information about that?

[Greg Fretwell]

Charles that is true. It only detects a shorting fault, not an open fault.

[wsiegel]

Doug,

ARC faults will run hot. Many of the manufactures recommend that no more than two be stacked together. It is only a recommendation and not an installation instruction.

As for the entire box being ARC fault protected, new breakers are supposed to be on the market to prevent the overheating. I guess we will see. I'm sure Paul will post more information on this.

[Doug Edwards]

William,
Thanks, that bears out what I was able to find on the internet about AFCIs.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Charles...without going into ALOT of detail...since the article I will post will give you the answer. Some of the newer models coming out today do provide both Parralel and Series protection.

Here is the link : http://www.ul.com/regulators/ode/0305.pdf

But basically...the newer models and standards are as listed:

The branch/feeder type AFCI device is installed at the origin of the branch circuit or feeder at a panelboard and functions to de-energize the entire branch circuit when an arcing fault is detected. These devices can be self-contained within an enclosure or as part of a circuit breaker. Since this device is located at the origin of the branch circuit or feeder, upstream protection is not an issue, but it will provide parallel-arcing protection and series protection for circuits with ground. It will not provide series-arc protection for circuits that are not grounded and will not provide series-arcing protection for extension-cord sets and power-supply cords.

AS for the heat...me and Greg have talked about this alot...to be honest with you I think we both are on a WAIT and SEE type basis...all really depends on if the 2008 NEC is adopted in the final form that would require all 15A and 20A Branch Circuits to be AFCI Protected....then we will just have to see...

However , yes they will run a bit more warmer than the standard breaker...but I would venture to say not more than 20-30 degrees...but again thats no a scientific study...just a Wednesday Night Statement.

[Doug Edwards]

Thanks guys. Suspected as much but it never hurts to ask or to admit you just don't know as in my case on this. I did not believe 105 deg to be alarming but anything out of the ordinary deserves a second look. and a third.....