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Electrical Circuit Breakers |  | | | Eaton AFI/GFI |
Introduction Since 2020 CT Residential Electrical Code requires the use of Arc Fault Circuit Breakers in Electrical Panels. There is a lot of opinion and angst regarding faulty tripping over otherwise normal motor based appliances.
I'm not here to re-iterate the code it's easy to find. there are sensible requirements for dedicated circuits such as the Refrigerator, as well as spacing requirements for behind counter top receptacles.
Reading up on arc fault breakers, Per blog, the Siemen's brand trips at the drop of a hat, motors, vacuum cleaners supposedly will cause these to trip. A lot of negative comments on Siemens arc fault breakers,
Eaton CL arc fault breakers are mentioned as better units, dual function GFCI/AFCI according to one electrician are less sensitive to sporadic appliance arc noise.
https://www.reddit.com/r/electrical/comments/1i9tars/why_do_i_have_so_many_problems_with_those_arc/
One entry:
"A few years ago, I had just completed an 80 house sub division and had this problem in about 10 of the houses. Certain new alliances trip them.. so i figured out that if i put a dual function breaker in (gfci/afci), the dual function is not as sensitive to arc noise as a stand alone arc fault breaker is. These customers breakers tripped for months, and once I put in the d. F. They never tripped again. I've been doing it anywhere that new appliances trip arc faults and it has worked on at least 50 different jobs at this point. It will not work if there is actual arching present on the wiring, devices, or within the appliance because a dual function will pick it up, it's just less sensitive to appliance noise as a stand alone arc fault. New refrigerators, microwaves, and washers do this the most from what I have seen. Hope this helps "
Another:
"20 amp kitchen counter outlets are one of the few items that my area does not require to be AFCI protected "
I would say: The dedicated circuits, washer, fridge, disposal, dishwasher - arc fault is not needed. My feeling is it's more for bedrooms where people are plugging in extension cords and snaking them around beds, furniture, rugs or plugging in a bunch of appliances or lights on a receptacle 3 in 1 or on a strip and then jamming something against it.
The 220 VAC heavy movers, dryers, water heaters, electric range, central AC are fine with standard breakers.
I found an Eaton dual GFI/AFI - If what it says "Offers a single location to access and identify tripped circuits" means that you do not need the GFCI device at the countertop receptacles I would say that is the BEST news I've heard yet. (I'm not a big fan of those two button clunky boxes constantly popping AND is it me or do they need to be replaced a lot? )
Disclaimer I'm not a qualified electrician in any state just and old EE grad from WPI who's been around this stuff for a while. The reason Arc fault protection is in vogue requires a brief explanation going into the simplified theory: An arc fault occurs when a hairline fracture develops in a wire, this can go on for quite some while, is undetected by both traditional circuit breakers and the appliance's user but can, has and will cause enough of a discharge of energy (spark) to set the man made materials commonly found in homes on fire. (at some point I had read up on house fires with suspicious electrical causes)
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