No AFCI In New Home

[Paul W. Abernathy]

Charles,

I agree in that i think the future is going to be AFCI/GFCI combo units on all 120V 15-20A branch circuits. However, I will PEER into the future and see if I am right on this...

Since the NEC may be removing the 42 OCPD maximum limitation, I feel you may see the RISE of a new form of "Split Buss" system that breaks the typical panel down in to 240V and 120V circuits as a typical "Split Buss" does...but the difference will be the lower half will have a single AFCI/GFCI monitor with individual circuit identification notifiers to allow circuits be identified on a individual basis.

This is my prediction for the future...bringing down the cost of having to buy individual AFCI/GFCI breakers....intergration and a new split buss design to meet the expanding need and make the question of AFCI/GFCI a moot point.

Now this is not for debate.....just my " Amazing Paul" forcast for the next 10 years.

[cbellefontaine]

Sorry about using the wrong name. I like "the amazing Paul" better. Changing the panels makes much sense. I personally would love to see that happen. Good stuff as aways Paul.

[Paul W. Abernathy]

well I tried to spell " Nostridomas" and could not spell it...so I choose Amazing..lol.

Yeah..some will say it's just PAUL's big head again, tehehe...I was trying to be like that lady on montel williams show as I can't remember her name.

[Greg Fretwell]

The problem with rushing this product into the code is it will NOT do what you say. This is still under development and the currently installed product only protects against a small percentage of the kinds of arcing faults that cause fires. It only finds a parallel fault and until the combo unit gets into the hands of installers it probably won't find a fault on the load side of the plug. Nobody will go back and retrofit another set of improved AFCIs when they come along. I bet less than 50% of the defective SqD AFCIs that were installed ever get replaced. If they had waited until the product actually did what it promised it would have been appropriate to put it in the code. From the number of AHJs who have opted out of this rule, it is clear I am not alone in this thinking. This is clearly a case of powerful manufacturer reps on CMP 2 making law to sell product and it is undermining the credibility of NFPA

[tdietrich1]

Greg Your Are Right!

However, even being right, I support the NEC, and agree to error on the side of caution. AFCI's protection can be shot up after you read what they do do, hey hey I said do-do, and then asking what they don't do.

Just to show this isn't just talking the talk, I removed all my 1993 breakers serving the bedrooms, and put in AFCI's. I have plans to include two more none bedroom circuits(living room and general lighting 1st floor), and then might calm down to the better AFCI's are available.

Better to have something, cheap imho, that protects you against 80%+ of types of fires, than nothing at all.

Gunna have to get a new tattoo "AFCI's Save Lives!" right under my "Smoke Detectors Save Lives!" tattoo. j/k

tom