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Afci

2K views 20 replies 12 participants last post by  MechanicalDVR 
#1 ·
Reading a thread on the DIY forum I have a question regarding AFCI. I have never worked with AFCI CB's other than having hired to as part of a recall for defective AFCI CB's.

My question, when you plug in a laptop you get a small inrush and a spark can occur at the receptacle, does this trip the AFCI CB? Seems that it should?
 
#3 · (Edited)
AFCI's have been required for bedroom receptacle ccts up here for a
decade or so. Only consistent false tripping I've heard of is with
treadmills.
P&L
 
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#14 ·
Something like that won't typically do it. After you get past actual wiring faults, it can be difficult to pinpoint and replicate. I've seen fluorescent lighting and vacuum cleaners do it.
Seeing my wife unplug a vacuum that is running and plug it in to a closer receptacle to where she is moving I've seen an arc more than once. I could see that tripping an AFCI everytime.
 
#6 ·
Seen GE AFCI's trip when there were Christmas lights and a vacuum plugged in and on at the same time into that circuit.
Either one on its own would not do this, but when plugged in together - POP.
Tried two different, brand new strings of lights. Regular, incandescent ones, nothing special. Same result -- when plugged in together, they cause the AFCI to trip.
 
#8 ·
The reason this may happen is that the afci needs to see about 4 amps before it will trip. I would think the vacuum is a higher amperage than that so I am guessing the xmas lights are not a high enough amps and the problem is there. When the vacuum is plugged in then it reaches the threshold so it trips.
 
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#9 ·
I use Ge afci and I have had very few problem with their afci. As time went by the afci has gotten better but there are certain electronics that cause issues with them.

Ge has taken the gfpe out of their afci so that eliminated a lot of nuisance tripping. I suspect the electronics are tripping on ground fault not afci
 
#11 ·
I've never used GE. I started out years ago using Siemens but had
a boat load of problems. Later Siemens did a recall after years of
denying any culpability. I switched to BR series Cutler Hammer (which
I have noticed many on this web sight do not like) , but the nuisance
tripping dramatically decreased ... still like others have said before ,
vacuum cleaners , treadmills etc will still cause nuisance tripping , but
the differences in complaints was definitely worth me switching from
Siemens to BR series...my next job I am going to try GE just for shi**
and giggles.
 
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