AFCI Tripping

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R33vinnie

R33vinnie

Member
Location
NJ
Hey Guys

I posted about a month ago a problem i was having with lights on a AFCI breaking tripping. I though it might have something to do with the baseboard heat but i ruled that out. Quick recap, I have a 15 amp AFCI breaker on 7 lights. Thats it..I have changed all of the Halo quick connects to wire nuts, changed the breaker (Siemens), change the dimmer (1000 watt Lutron Skylark 3 way dimmer). It only trips now if the dimmers at full brightness. When i leave it half illuminated, the breaker will hold. Do you think maybe it can be the thremal overloads in the hats? Or maybe a bulb? I would appreciate any ideas.

Thanks
Vinnie

:confused::confused:
 
R33vinnie

R33vinnie

Member
Location
NJ
I haven't tried the megger yet but thats next. I will try that next and get back to you. Thank You. I have not taking the dimmer out yet. I replaced the 600 watt to a 1000 watt, thats it. I could try taking it out. This is all new installs in a basement, i installed these breakers on these light about a year ago. There hasn't been a problem since now.
 
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rich9112

Member
Location
Southern Utah, USA
Have you tried changing the breaker?

Have you tried changing the breaker?

I have run across the occasional faulty AFCI breaker. Have you replaced it to verify it is not the breaker?
 
A

AV ELECTRIC

Senior Member
with one light bulb screwed in try the dimmer if that works install another bulb and so on . Breaker only trips under load it maybe one of the cans. like others said put a regular switch and energize.
 
K8MHZ

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
Until we are afforded the luxury of having actual test equipment for AFCI devices, we are left to guess and to part swap.

My guess is that the breaker in question and the dimmer switch in question don't like to play together. Dimmers are no longer simple rheostats. They use electronics to chop up the wave form. Some generate enough RF pollution to wipe out entire bands of the radio spectrum. I don't doubt that the same noise would confuse an AFCI in some instances.

So, you are left to part swapping until you succeed. Please let us know what you found.

GL
 
M

macmikeman

Senior Member
Location
Planet macmikeman
Don't forget this also. It could be the particular brand of panel/breaker combination. There are some combination ark fault breakers that are more problematic than other brands of combination ark fault breakers. To the degree that I have gotten a pass by the local insp's on violating listings for plug in style swaps on existing load centers for circuit add-ons. They have heard enough of the complaints as well.
 
ELA

ELA

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrical Test Engineer
What do the LEDs on the breaker say? I thought Siemens breakers would tell whether it was a ground fault or an Arc signature via the LEDs?
 
R33vinnie

R33vinnie

Member
Location
NJ
I have changed the breake to a new AFIC. I have seven 65 watt bulbs dedicated to just that breaker. Then i have six 65 watt bulbs dedicated on a AFIC with a singler pole dimmer and eveything holds fine. The thing is, i have never seen the actual trip...The homeowner tells me it trips if he puts his 220 volt baseboard heat on. Everytime i go there it doesn't happen so thats why im stumped. I installed these last summer and everything has held since. Until the winter hits and he puts the heaters on. I thought i ruled out the heaters but i guess not. What i cant understand is, the only thing that links them together is a ground, theres no Neutral. When i left the other day i put the dimmer half way and it held with the heater on for 5 days. He said he when he went back down in the basement he turned the dimmer to full brightness and turned the heat on and it triped. It doesn't happed all the time abd everytime i go there it doesn't happen. I apperciate all the help guys
 
Chamuit

Chamuit

Grumpy Old Man
Location
Texas
Occupation
Electrician
ptonsparky said:
I have a small dorm type frig that trips an AFCI when it cycles. I suspect the thermostat arcs juuuust right. Unit checks out in all other aspects.
Click to expand...

Your post reminds me of a job I had where the tankless gas water heater started tripping a 20A circuit after 6 months. Acted like a short. Couple of trips trying to troubleshoot. (Customer and GC tried to help - Aaaaaaaagh!!) Found out that the recirculation pump inside the unit was shorting. Also found out Plumber hadn't correctly installed the unit to begin with.
 
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