Breaker with Arch Protection
Hi, I read in some books about arch protecting breaker switches. Some of circuits in my house pretty old. Should I install these arch protection switches on these circuits? should I call electrical to evaluate the state of the wires and give me this advice?
Hi,
I read in some books about arch protecting breaker switches. Some of circuits in my house pretty old. Should I install these arch protection switches on these circuits? should I call electrical to evaluate the state of the wires and give me this advice?
Arc Fault (AFCI) breakers have been required on circuits within bedrooms since NYC switched to the 1999 NEC with amendments back in 2001. The next NYC electrical code which will be based on the 2008 NEC will require AFCI breakers practically everywhere in a residential setting.
That being said, since the code only addresses new installations and planned upgrades you are not required to replace circuit breakers with AFCI breakers in an existing installation.
There will be some issues simply trying to replace regular breakers with AFCI breakers. First if you have an older panel AFCI breakers will likely not be available, second is space within the panel as AFCI breakers are wider and cut into the panels gutter space, third is current AFCI breakers will not work with shared neutral circuits which are likely in your panel (not that they are bad).
I would definately consider having a licensed electrician evaluate your wiring. It may be that an electrician will check you connections and find that they are secure and say it is not necessary, though someone recently had a post on here that said arc protection breakers are required on “bedroom circuits” in all new installations. If that person was correct in what they were saying, I would have to bet that an electrician will err on the side of caution and say arc protection is needed if the questions is put to him.
Steve
http://www.thetinkerswagon.com