[RFI] Arc-fault breakers

[qrv at kd4e.com]

In our area bedrooms are required, in new construction, to have the
AFCI (Awful Faulty Circuit Interrupters) installed.

The justification for these quirky devices is to detect low-level
failures in wiring buried in the wall.

The reality is constant false triggers & replacement with traditional
breakers.

Either someone didn't do their homework at the national level or
it's the usual follow-the-money problem.


> On 2/23/20 9:06 AM, krgoodwin at comcast.net wrote: When I discussed  > changing out my circuit breaker box with arc-fault circuit breakers 
 > with a licensed electrician, he suggested installing arc-fault/GFCI > 
outlets instead. The arc-fault circuit breakers are expensive and > may 
require an entirely new circuit breaker panel since installation > is 
not straight forward in an older CB panel. At my local big box > store, 
Leviton 15 Amp AFCI/GFCI outlets are $27 (20 Amp $28) and > wired 
similar to GFCI outlets so a circuit could be chained to dumb > outlets 
as would be the case in a normal GFCI wiring scheme. Of > course, this 
may not satisfy the local building codes but I would > grant a waiver if 
asked. On the other side, house insurance policies > are pushing to have 
older circuit breaker panels replaced which would > infer installing 
AFCI/GFCI breakers. I did notice on new houses in > this area, not all 
circuits are AFCI/GFCI protected and I don't know > which circuits are 
necessary. I would protect ALL circuits in a > house especially if AFCI 
were the intended goal. Ken K5RG