Arc Fault Circuit Interruptors - AFCIs
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Electrical fires in homes break out more than 40,000 times each year in the U.S. alone. A significant portion of these fires result from unintended electrical arcs in a circuit that standard circuit breakers are unable to detect. Arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) detects arcing faults and opens the circuit to stop the flow of electricity.
Arc faults may occur for many reasons such as worn electrical insulation or damaged wire, misapplied or damaged appliance cords and equipment, loose electrical connections, receptacle leakage, neutral leads pinched to grounded metal box, wet connections or conduit, shorted wires, wires or cords in contact with vibrating metal,
overheated or stressed electrical cords and wires, or driving a nail into a wall and having it inadvertently hit a wire. The possibility of arcing grows as a home ages since age and time will contribute to the possibility of these conditions occurring.
When an arc fault occurs, AFCI opens the circuit and stops the flow of electricity in a fraction of a second. While connected loads, such as fluorescent lighting, motors, dimmers and switches, may have inherent arcing as a normal mode of operation, the AFCI is designed to distinguish these arcing faults from hazardous arcing faults by monitoring the intensity, duration and frequency of the arcing fault.
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Industry first: the only available AFCI breaker with a dual-function test button, providing two safety tests |
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Locate tripped breakers fast with trip notification flag and distinctive gray housing |
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2-pole breaker solution for shared neutral wiring |
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Protects the entire circuit with an easy plug-in breaker design |
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Fulfills 2002 N.E.C. and C.E.C. requirements for dwelling unit bedrooms |
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Wire size 14-10 AWG 60/75 degree Celsius Cu/Al |
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UL Recognized (Molded Case Circuit Breakers) UL 489 |
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UL Recognized (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters) UL 1699 |
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CSA Recognized (Molded Case Circuit Breakers) CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 5.1, 1 Pole Only |
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CSA Recognized (Interim Requirements for AFCIs) TIL No. M-02, 1 Pole Only |
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Parallel Protection– direct contact of two wires with opposite polarity (example: damaged extension cords) |
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Ground Protection – arc between a single conductor and ground (example: improperly installed wall receptacles) |
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Series Protection – arc across the break in a single conductor, which progresses to a ground or parallel arc (example: cable pierced by a nail from a wall hanger) |
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Overload Protection |
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Short Circuit Protection |
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Diagram A. 1-pole 120Vac 2-wire branch circuit
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Diagram B. 1-pole shared neutral with multi-duplex receptacle application
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Diagram C. 2-pole shared neutral with duplex receptacle
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Diagram D. 2-pole 240Vac load application derived from 120/240Vac
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Why is arc detection needed?
Arcing faults generally go undetected for an extended time and can reach high temperatures (5000F) at low current levels. The heating of surrounding material creates a carbon remnant that acts as a high impedance conductor. Arcing intensifies as the carbon path extends and the material by-products of the event (smoke, flame, etc.) increase the available fuel source. Per the Consumer Product Safety Review, problems in home wiring, like arcing and sparking, are associated with more than 40,000 home fires each year. These fires claim over 350 lives and injure 1,400 victims annually. And while standard circuit breakers are intended to protect conductors from overload and short circuit conditions, they do not protect against arcing faults and ground faults.
What are the Electrical Code requirements for AFCIs?
210-12 (N.E.C - National Electrical Code). Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection
(a) Definition. An arc-fault circuit interrupter is a device intended to provide protection from the effects of arc faults by recognizing characteristics unique to arcing and by functioning to de-energize the circuit when an arc fault is detected.
(b) Dwelling Unit Bedrooms. All branch circuits that supply 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere outlets installed in dwelling unit bedrooms shall be protected by an arc-fault circuit interrupter listed to provide protection of the entire branch circuit.
Article 100 Definitions:
Branch Circuit - The current conductors between the final overcurrent device protecting the circuit and
the outlet(s.)
Outlet - A point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment.
26-722 (C.E.C - Canadian Electrical Code). Branch Circuits in Dwelling Units
(f) Branch circuits that supply receptacles installed in sleeping facilities of a dwelling unit shall be protected by an arc-fault circuit interrupter; and
(g) For the purpose of Paragraph (f) "arc-fault circuit interrupter" means is a device intended to provide protection from the effects of arc faults by recognizing characteristics unique to arcing and by functioning to de-energize the circuit when an arc fault is detected.
You should note that some areas may adopt other effective dates and may expand the requirements beyond the bedroom circuits. Contact your local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) to verify code requirements for your area.
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Please follow the links below for more informations on GE Arc Flash Circuit Interrupteurs:
Arc Faults. A Guide for Contractors and Homeowners - DEA-234A
Homeowner and Installer Information - Single Pole DEH-40117R4
Homeowner and Installer Information - Double Pole DEH-40456
Arc Fault Circuit Interrupteurs - DET-204A
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