[TowerTalk] Arcfault Breakers

[Jim Rhodes]

Was helping a friend move into a rental property.  She had a paid crew
moving appliances and heavy furniture.   I went down into the basement to
see how things were going and noticed some arcing noise.  Looked closer and
it was like the 4th of July inside that outlet box.  It was Saturday
evening and the landlord lived in a different town so I ended jp running to
a big box store for a new outlet and the problem was solved.   When I
talked to the landlord he thanked me, but also complained that the city was
after him to install arcfault breakers.  I told him that if I hadn't been
there to check on things he might have lost the whole building.  He still
didn't think he should have to update.

On Thu, Mar 16, 2023, 16:19 Wilson Lamb via TowerTalk <
towertalk at contesting.com> wrote:

> The whole thing is painful to those of us who are old (81),
> Growing up with glass fuses, breakers became the "latest thing" and took
> over rapidly,
> soon becoming fairly reasonable in cost.  With several hundred million in
> service, the code writers drank the arcfault coolaid and started requiring
> them, at fantastic cost.  I think we have to realize that "the code" has
> accomplished a lot but is also a marketing tool for manufacturers.  Would
> everyone who has seen a fire caused by an arc fault please raise your
> hand(s).  \\
>
>
> With housing rapidly becoming a luxury, even at the low end, we need to
> control the urge to require expensive technology!
>
>
> Wilson
> W4BOH
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