turtlevette
The Turdle
If you think you might have chewed up wiring which is better.
AFCI right?
AFCI right?
Big Bird AFCI vs GFCI
- Thread starter turtlevette
- Start date
clutchdust
Millionaire Playboy
No comment on the question at hand. I'm just curious what AFCI even means. Haven't heard of that one before.
turtlevette
The Turdle
arc flash circuit interruptor. This is a circuit breaker for the home that is much more sensitive to see arcing short circuits.
My company makes a computer based product for 480 and medium volatage switchgear. It has a very fast unfiltered overcurrent element and 4 light sensors. If the relay sees the fast O/C element and time over light sensor at the same time, it issues an immediate trip to minimize burns to guys working on live switchgear.
The home version i'm thinking just has a magnetic instantaneous trip.
Stpman
Well-known member
Turtle
I haven't read much about the AFCI but I believe they protect against different things GFCI detects leakage to ground
I haven't read much about the AFCI but I believe they protect against different things GFCI detects leakage to ground
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
First, the correct answer. Repair the wiring. No substitute for it.
Now, that disclaimer being said, GFCI is for shock protection. I.E., wet /damp areas and barefeet, metal, poolside, etc.
AFCI is for fire/damage protection. Now required by code to feed all bedroom receptacles to prevent fires where bedding slams up against a receptacle in use.
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Which brings to mind that when I built my room addition, I placed the outlets about 8' apart on that wall, just for bed placement under the centered window....a little trick some builders just never seem to do right....
:nuts:
AND on some kitchen job the customer asked us to find why this dining room outlet didn't work for years, so we went fishing, and found a dead mouse that ate through the wire, so suck up the mouse and crap, replace wire, easy do.....;-)))
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Stpman
Well-known member
Gene
they never seem to get it right because the way the code is worde up here is receptacle must be within 6 feet of any point along the wall and a cord isn't aloud to cross in front of a doorway that means they can leagally put the receptacles 12 feet apart. Also whenn they're roughing in houses up here there is usually 1 electrician and 2 -3 helpers doing the work with the helpers doing most of the work and the electrician doing a lot of the thinking
they never seem to get it right because the way the code is worde up here is receptacle must be within 6 feet of any point along the wall and a cord isn't aloud to cross in front of a doorway that means they can leagally put the receptacles 12 feet apart. Also whenn they're roughing in houses up here there is usually 1 electrician and 2 -3 helpers doing the work with the helpers doing most of the work and the electrician doing a lot of the thinking
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
and here I have two piggy back 15 breakers (four circuits in two slots) and 3 piggy back 20 amp same thing....in a 1600' house....
and I am running outta space, and bitch about a ~120/month base electric bill with NO HVAC running....
last summer was a blistering one....214 bux was my worst bill....
Painted the roof white....reducing attic temps a minimum of 40F.....
:clobbered::crylol:
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
That's pretty much standard everywhere.
DARROW 74
Well-known member
For those of you that may have a AFCI that is tripping for no reason It may be a loose wire on the screw terminal. New constriction electricans seem to not tighten the screws the way they should. nice for me bad for the home owner.
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
I really can't count how many times I have pulled stab wired outlets and switches, and used screws, that's one thing I liked about my electrician up north, who I watched and asked questions, years ago, he was VERY meticulous about his work, and he always used the screws.....as with my plumber, I did the same thing, learned to be dangerous in both trades now.....enough to hold my own shit together, not some building or other....
:amazed::quote:
JPhil
Huh?
2008 National Electric Code requires all (residential) circuits not required to be GFCI protected shall be AFCI protected with the exception of dedicated security or fire alarms.
Yes, Arc fault is for fire protection, Ground fault is for shock protection. Many of the original arc fault breakers from 5 or 6 years ago were too sensitive, the flick of a light switch would pop them. Same for older ground fault breakers--a nearby lightning strike would pop them. If you are having problems with nuisance tripping that could be part of the problem. Or it could be you have a problem in your wiring and the breaker is doing its job.
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mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Screw it right and use the grease for aluminum wire if you have to, and no problem....
I would LOVE to have a special trick gimmick to turn off the TV, computers, and all sorts of shit when any lightening reaches around the hood....
just pull the plug type disconnect.....
then we go activate them...as needed.....
as it is, I was of course snoring, wife got up and turned off both power sources to computers and the TV/stereo.....I never heard a thing until it was too late.....:flash:
I would LOVE to have a special trick gimmick to turn off the TV, computers, and all sorts of shit when any lightening reaches around the hood....
just pull the plug type disconnect.....
then we go activate them...as needed.....
as it is, I was of course snoring, wife got up and turned off both power sources to computers and the TV/stereo.....I never heard a thing until it was too late.....:flash:
turtlevette
The Turdle
I'm not having any trouble. Just thinking about upgrading to better protection. A good idea for all of you too. How the hell do you know you don't have chewed wiring? I don't know that i do and don't know that i don't. I guess mice and squirrels just live in Mass. They're all liberals.
If i were to rewire, i'd go all armored wire.
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
They do make whole house/main panel surge protectors Gene. Also residential lightning arrestors. I have one on my home panel.
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
I somehow gotta laugh at the thought of lightening arrestors, even though the code here is TWO ~10' grounding rods per house/install....I have one in the back that used to ground my hot tub AND a auto battery cable from it to the aluminum structure of my atrium,
11? years ago I had a lightening strike in the back yard, ~100' oak tree, blew the living shit outta more crap, and a 1700 buck ins claim....most of it to the MacIntosh stereo that went back to Mac for repairs....parts are too specialized....so anyway, about 3 years ago another of them friggin lightening rods in the back yard of the guy across the street got hit, and it split the trunk in 1/2 and there are pix on the net about it.....
and of course that blew the living shit out of everything yet again.....except what I had plugged into my isolation transformers, with MOV protectioin on the input and output....so my electronics and TV and computer survived, wife's however did NOT, and that cost us mucho grief.....we even think we hear thunder now, we turn off everything in the house.....
Good old Florida, lightening capital of the nation.....:flash::goodnight:
big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
What section is that John? I am only aware of the sleeping area requirement.
JPhil
Huh?
I'll have to ask one of the electrical inspectors. I'm a plumber, I don't have the NEC memorized--just some of the bits I need to know on a daily basis.
All my code books are at work and I'm out for the next month or so.
turtlevette
The Turdle
You see them new longer T-shirts to cover the ass crack?
JPhil
Huh?
I keep my posterior cleavage shaved so it's sexy.
Bird, AFCI is 210.12, A & B and GFCI is 218.8, A & B in the NEC.
One of the oftentimes (but not always) humorous things we run into is homeowner basement finishes wired by industrial electricians--armored cable & conduit but no clue about receptacle spacing or circuit requirements.
