Arc Fault Protection
In your house electrical panel will be a number of "arc fault" breakers. Depending on the time frame in which your house was wired will determine the number of arc fault breakers you have. You may have arc fault breakers that are only on bedroom circuits or you may have arc faults on more than the bedrooms to include the living room, dining room, game room, office, etc.
An Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) is a circuit breaker designed to prevent fires by detecting an unintended electrical arc and disconnecting the power before the arc starts a fire. An AFCI must distinguish between a harmless arc that occurs incidental to normal operation of switches, plugs and brushed motors and an undesirable arc that can occur, for example, in a lamp cord that has a broken conductor in the cord. Arc faults in a home are one of the leading causes for electrical wiring fires. Each year in the United States, over 40,000 fires are attributed to home electrical wiring. These fires result in over 350 deaths and over 1,400 injuries each year. Conventional circuit breakers only respond to overloads and short circuits; so they do not protect against arcing conditions that produce erratic, and often reduced current. An AFCI is selective so that normal arcs do not cause it to trip. The AFCI circuitry continuously monitors the current and discriminates between normal and unwanted arcing conditions. Once an unwanted arcing condition is detected, the AFCI opens its internal contacts, thus de-energizing the circuit and reducing the potential for a fire to occur. An AFCI should not trip during normal arcing conditions, which can occur when a switch is opened or a plug is pulled from a receptacle.
If you have a problem with an AFCI (arc fault circuit interrupter) shutting off in you main electrical panel, you’re not alone. Arc fault circuit interrupters are prone to “nuisance tripping,” which is probably what you’re experiencing. AFCIs are designed to sense an arc, which is an electrical “leak” caused when a hot wire touches a neutral or ground but doesn’t trigger the circuit breaker. Although current-sensing circuitry enables AFCIs to detect arcing conditions, unintended trickles of current may also cause the breaker to shut off (AFCIs are very sensitive!).
To solve the nuisance tripping problem, start with things you can do yourself. Unplug or turn off surge protectors plugged into bedroom outlets, fluorescent lights with electronic ballasts, and lighting controls with LED displays that are on the AFCI circuit. They sometimes allow current “leakage” that can trip the AFCI. Damage or deterioration to wires or cords (which can happen when furniture is pushed against plugs in an outlet) also causes arcing faults and will trip the circuit. If you identify one of these sources, you’ll have to replace the electrical item. If unplugging electrical and electronic devices doesn’t solve the problem give us a call and we can schedule a time to come by to correct the issue.
IF YOU HAVE A TRIPPING ARC FAULT PLEASE TRY THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO SEE WHAT MAY BE CAUSING THE ISSUE.....
1. Unplug every item you have plugged into the receptacles on that circuit.
2. Go to your panel and fully reset breaker by turning the breaker to the "OFF" position and then to the "ON" position. Start to plug back in one item at a time that you own and give 24 hours between each item. (Remember that you have to turn the device on to see if the circuit stays on after energizing.)
We have found that 9 times out of 10 the homeowner finds they have a device that has a short in the device or the supply cord that has an issue that may not be visible to the eye. Also remember that the circuit is typically on a 20 amp breaker. Current (AMPERAGE) is additive in a circuit such as this. If you have a space heater (13 amps) , laptop (1 Amp) , a lamp with 2 bulbs (1 amp) then plug in the vacuum cleaner (12 amps) it would trip the breaker due to exceeding the breakers capability. We have found some folks have a his and her heating blanket along with other random devices and the breaker is tripping.
HERE IS A SHORT LIST OF ITEMS WE FOUND THAT TRIP ARC FAULTS....
TREAD MILLS - ARC FAULT BREAKERS DO NOT ALLOW FOR THESE TO BE USED.
CFL BULBS ON DIMMERS
HIGH END SURGE PROTECTORS WE HAVE HAD TROUBLE
BULB IN A FIXTURE BEING BURNED OUT
HOLIDAY / CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
INFLATABLES - SANTA, ETC.
SPACE HEATERS, MOTOR LOADS.
LAPTOP CORDS - THEY ARE ROLLED UP AND ABUSED ON A REGULAR BASIS
PRINTER TRANSFORMER BOXES - ONE HOUSE WE WENT TO THEIR CAT HAD BEEN SOILING DUE TO JEALOUSY OF NEW BABY
1ST GENERATION PLASMA TV'S
VACUUMS - AGAIN CORDS ARE ABUSED REGULARLY
FAULTY CORD CONNECTED STORE BOUGHT LIGHT FIXTURES
SCENTSY CANDLE WARMERS - MELTED WAX FELL ON LAMP HOLDER AND WAS CAUSING BREAKER TO TRIP
An Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) is a circuit breaker designed to prevent fires by detecting an unintended electrical arc and disconnecting the power before the arc starts a fire. An AFCI must distinguish between a harmless arc that occurs incidental to normal operation of switches, plugs and brushed motors and an undesirable arc that can occur, for example, in a lamp cord that has a broken conductor in the cord. Arc faults in a home are one of the leading causes for electrical wiring fires. Each year in the United States, over 40,000 fires are attributed to home electrical wiring. These fires result in over 350 deaths and over 1,400 injuries each year. Conventional circuit breakers only respond to overloads and short circuits; so they do not protect against arcing conditions that produce erratic, and often reduced current. An AFCI is selective so that normal arcs do not cause it to trip. The AFCI circuitry continuously monitors the current and discriminates between normal and unwanted arcing conditions. Once an unwanted arcing condition is detected, the AFCI opens its internal contacts, thus de-energizing the circuit and reducing the potential for a fire to occur. An AFCI should not trip during normal arcing conditions, which can occur when a switch is opened or a plug is pulled from a receptacle.
If you have a problem with an AFCI (arc fault circuit interrupter) shutting off in you main electrical panel, you’re not alone. Arc fault circuit interrupters are prone to “nuisance tripping,” which is probably what you’re experiencing. AFCIs are designed to sense an arc, which is an electrical “leak” caused when a hot wire touches a neutral or ground but doesn’t trigger the circuit breaker. Although current-sensing circuitry enables AFCIs to detect arcing conditions, unintended trickles of current may also cause the breaker to shut off (AFCIs are very sensitive!).
To solve the nuisance tripping problem, start with things you can do yourself. Unplug or turn off surge protectors plugged into bedroom outlets, fluorescent lights with electronic ballasts, and lighting controls with LED displays that are on the AFCI circuit. They sometimes allow current “leakage” that can trip the AFCI. Damage or deterioration to wires or cords (which can happen when furniture is pushed against plugs in an outlet) also causes arcing faults and will trip the circuit. If you identify one of these sources, you’ll have to replace the electrical item. If unplugging electrical and electronic devices doesn’t solve the problem give us a call and we can schedule a time to come by to correct the issue.
IF YOU HAVE A TRIPPING ARC FAULT PLEASE TRY THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO SEE WHAT MAY BE CAUSING THE ISSUE.....
1. Unplug every item you have plugged into the receptacles on that circuit.
2. Go to your panel and fully reset breaker by turning the breaker to the "OFF" position and then to the "ON" position. Start to plug back in one item at a time that you own and give 24 hours between each item. (Remember that you have to turn the device on to see if the circuit stays on after energizing.)
We have found that 9 times out of 10 the homeowner finds they have a device that has a short in the device or the supply cord that has an issue that may not be visible to the eye. Also remember that the circuit is typically on a 20 amp breaker. Current (AMPERAGE) is additive in a circuit such as this. If you have a space heater (13 amps) , laptop (1 Amp) , a lamp with 2 bulbs (1 amp) then plug in the vacuum cleaner (12 amps) it would trip the breaker due to exceeding the breakers capability. We have found some folks have a his and her heating blanket along with other random devices and the breaker is tripping.
HERE IS A SHORT LIST OF ITEMS WE FOUND THAT TRIP ARC FAULTS....
TREAD MILLS - ARC FAULT BREAKERS DO NOT ALLOW FOR THESE TO BE USED.
CFL BULBS ON DIMMERS
HIGH END SURGE PROTECTORS WE HAVE HAD TROUBLE
BULB IN A FIXTURE BEING BURNED OUT
HOLIDAY / CHRISTMAS LIGHTS
INFLATABLES - SANTA, ETC.
SPACE HEATERS, MOTOR LOADS.
LAPTOP CORDS - THEY ARE ROLLED UP AND ABUSED ON A REGULAR BASIS
PRINTER TRANSFORMER BOXES - ONE HOUSE WE WENT TO THEIR CAT HAD BEEN SOILING DUE TO JEALOUSY OF NEW BABY
1ST GENERATION PLASMA TV'S
VACUUMS - AGAIN CORDS ARE ABUSED REGULARLY
FAULTY CORD CONNECTED STORE BOUGHT LIGHT FIXTURES
SCENTSY CANDLE WARMERS - MELTED WAX FELL ON LAMP HOLDER AND WAS CAUSING BREAKER TO TRIP