T
T.M.Haja Sahib
Guest
Increase in circuit leads to increase in leakage current and so AFCI is liable to trip.Above it is stated 25' of cable was added to solve a AFCI tripping problem.Incomprehensible!
Nightmare ArcFault OD...in the AHJ's daughter's house!!!
- Thread starter melanconelectric
- Start date
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Increase in circuit leads to increase in leakage current and so AFCI is liable to trip.Above it is stated 25' of cable was added to solve a AFCI tripping problem.Incomprehensible!
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Kind of the way I feel about it. I don't have enough knowledge or imagination to dream up these things on my own. Try everything else first.
busman
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern Virginia
- Occupation
- Master Electrician / Electrical Engineer
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
When you say "tore" house apart, do you mean literally? You could have a nail in a wire or a staple in to tight. The breakers are just doing their job. Just checking at the connection points isn't really going to cut it.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Going back to the OP, your circuits should not open "at will". The only problems we have had with AFCIs are with particular loads, ie universal type motors and one older dorm type refig that used a klixon style thermostat.
Change your method of install. Meg circuits before the wall covering goes on. L-N, N-EG, & L-EG. Continuity checks will show a major screw up but you need more. Meg again after wall covering goes on.
Change your method of install. Meg circuits before the wall covering goes on. L-N, N-EG, & L-EG. Continuity checks will show a major screw up but you need more. Meg again after wall covering goes on.
texie
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Occupation
- Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
I'm in your camp on this, but I think we are alone on this. I think they have lots of advantages and one would think if they were sold in bulk like regular NM staples they might even be cheaper than staples. I think Ideal makes the ones I use.
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
That is odd. I have tested AFCI's with universal motors and not had a problem. Big blue arc and the breaker did not trip.
The only problem I did have, that was not related to a problem with the circuit was new tools with a soft start feature. Two different brands of breakers.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
I have a hunch not all AFCIs are created equal. I work primarily with CH & CH BR style.
the blur
Senior Member
- Location
- cyberspace
sometimes they will pickup a problem on another branch circuit, that is not afci protected.
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
In my case it was SqD and GE. Both failed with the same type of tool from different manufactures.
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- Electrician ,contractor
I think the only thing that can be done is to isolate the section of the circuit that is creating the problem.
I would pull all the outlets and seperate the wires. You can megger at this point. If you find nothing One by one splice the circuits back. When the problem returns megger that run again. If nothing replace the section with a piece of fresh wire run exposed, try to emulate the approximate wire legnth that is in the wall.
If this does not work throw in the towel!
I would pull all the outlets and seperate the wires. You can megger at this point. If you find nothing One by one splice the circuits back. When the problem returns megger that run again. If nothing replace the section with a piece of fresh wire run exposed, try to emulate the approximate wire legnth that is in the wall.
If this does not work throw in the towel!
If you've already spent a ton of time on this I would get a 2 or 4 circuit inexpensive sub panel (HOM, QO) wire it from the existing panel and try their style of AF breaker. If it holds that would be a relatively inexpensive fix . I had a conventional breaker"phantom tripping" on me once it ended up being some expanding spray foam had penetrated a metal outlet box and their was a slight nick in the hot conductor at the box clamp. When certain movement occured in a particular room it would push against the conductor, short out, it would clear itself after resetting but would then re trip(sometimes a week later) when it would touch again for whatever reason.
kbsparky
Senior Member
- Location
- Delmarva, USA
Do they have any power strips with surge protection built-in? Those things can shunt surges to ground, causing AFI and GFI devices to think there is a ground-fault condition ....
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- Electrician ,contractor
How about dimmers, Are there any dimmers and other motor loads that could be causing this.
jaylectricity
Senior Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Occupation
- licensed journeyman electrician
Did anybody ask if this was the actual AHJ's daughter? Does OP have only one guy in his area that's the authority on the electrical work performed in the jurisdiction? Seems kind of dangerous to me.
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