AFCI useful?

[William P.N. Smith]

Are Arc Fault Circuit Interruptors really useful, or just another
Expensive Code Requirement (SM)? Where are they required, and does
anyone have any experience with them? Are they available in main
breakers, or just for branch circuits?

Thanks!

 

[William P.N. Smith]

Yes they are useful if there is an insulation defect and they are
required in bedrooms NEC 2002 and beyond. They are for branch circuits
but some mil-spec applications use them for main conditioning. Whaddya
have in mind?

Well, if they are useful, I'd rather have one main breaker that's AFCI
and a bunch of 'normal' breakers, but if they aren't that interesting
I'll probably just leave them out. [NEC doesn't apply in this
application]

 

[SQLit]

Yes they are useful if there is an insulation defect and they are
required in bedrooms NEC 2002 and beyond. They are for branch circuits
but some mil-spec applications use them for main conditioning. Whaddya
have in mind?

Well, if they are useful, I'd rather have one main breaker that's AFCI
and a bunch of 'normal' breakers, but if they aren't that interesting
I'll probably just leave them out. [NEC doesn't apply in this
application]

I would sure like to know what sort of an installation was exempt from the
NEC which is minimum safety.

 

[Harry Chickpea]

William P.N. Smith wrote:
Are Arc Fault Circuit Interruptors really useful

Yes they are useful if there is an insulation defect and they are
required in bedrooms NEC 2002 and beyond. They are for branch circuits
but some mil-spec applications use them for main conditioning. Whaddya
have in mind?

Well, if they are useful, I'd rather have one main breaker that's AFCI
and a bunch of 'normal' breakers, but if they aren't that interesting
I'll probably just leave them out. [NEC doesn't apply in this
application]

I would sure like to know what sort of an installation was exempt from the
NEC which is minimum safety.

Electric chair?

 

[William P.N. Smith]

I would sure like to know what sort of an installation was exempt from the
NEC which is minimum safety.

Would you believe a non-US country? Kinda of a rathole, though, the
original question was roughly "is it worth springing for an AFCI
(main) breaker?"...

 

[Steve Spence]

minimum safety? or maximum beauracracy?

William P.N. Smith wrote:
Are Arc Fault Circuit Interruptors really useful

Yes they are useful if there is an insulation defect and they are
required in bedrooms NEC 2002 and beyond. They are for branch circuits
but some mil-spec applications use them for main conditioning. Whaddya
have in mind?

Well, if they are useful, I'd rather have one main breaker that's AFCI
and a bunch of 'normal' breakers, but if they aren't that interesting
I'll probably just leave them out. [NEC doesn't apply in this
application]

I would sure like to know what sort of an installation was exempt from the
NEC which is minimum safety.

 

[Steve Spence]

this is interesting ...

Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter Breakers, or AFCIs are now required in new
construction by the National Electric Code (NEC). (Your town/city may not
require them). What are they? Do you need them?

http://www.handymanwire.com/articles/AFCI.html

minimum safety? or maximum beauracracy?

[email protected] (dave) wrote:
William P.N. Smith wrote:
Are Arc Fault Circuit Interruptors really useful

Yes they are useful if there is an insulation defect and they are
required in bedrooms NEC 2002 and beyond. They are for branch circuits
but some mil-spec applications use them for main conditioning. Whaddya
have in mind?

Well, if they are useful, I'd rather have one main breaker that's AFCI
and a bunch of 'normal' breakers, but if they aren't that interesting
I'll probably just leave them out. [NEC doesn't apply in this
application]

I would sure like to know what sort of an installation was exempt from the
NEC which is minimum safety.