AFCI change in 2008 NEC
from
electrician2.com
I have just attended the Northwest IAEI Section meeting in Anchorage Alaska where the 2008 NEC and Analysis of Changes were taught. A new rule is requiring that all 120-volt, 15- and 20- ampere branch circuits supplying outlets installed in dwelling unit family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways, or similar rooms or areas shall be protected by a listed arc-fault circuit interrupter, combination-type , installed to provide protection for the branch circuit. The combination-type means that the AFCI provides series and parallel circuit protection.
Also, the AFCI provides protection from bad arcs that cause fires but does not provide GFCI protection because the ground fault tip is set at 50 ma.
Now what came up with a Code making panel member during break was does anyone make a AFCI/GFCI that provides both the 5 ma GF protection and the AFCI protection and if they do, why not just go the whole course and require both?
It turns out that Cutler Hammer does make such a device, but Square D does not.
So now what should we do? Wait for the 2011 NEC or jump the gun and put these Cutler Hammer AFCI/GFCI devices in now?
electrician2.com
I have just attended the Northwest IAEI Section meeting in Anchorage Alaska where the 2008 NEC and Analysis of Changes were taught. A new rule is requiring that all 120-volt, 15- and 20- ampere branch circuits supplying outlets installed in dwelling unit family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways, or similar rooms or areas shall be protected by a listed arc-fault circuit interrupter, combination-type , installed to provide protection for the branch circuit. The combination-type means that the AFCI provides series and parallel circuit protection.
Also, the AFCI provides protection from bad arcs that cause fires but does not provide GFCI protection because the ground fault tip is set at 50 ma.
Now what came up with a Code making panel member during break was does anyone make a AFCI/GFCI that provides both the 5 ma GF protection and the AFCI protection and if they do, why not just go the whole course and require both?
It turns out that Cutler Hammer does make such a device, but Square D does not.
So now what should we do? Wait for the 2011 NEC or jump the gun and put these Cutler Hammer AFCI/GFCI devices in now?
posted by Gerald Newton at 2:47 PM
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