Service Upgrade Requires New AFCI Breakers

Status
Not open for further replies.

BMacky

Senior Member
Location
Foster City, CA
Has anyone had or have you personally interpreted, that the Jan 2011 NEC mandatory code changes for AFCIs apply when upgrading a an existing main service in a residential setting?

I received a pre-inspection phone call from my inspector yesterday who asked, prior to his arrival, if I had installed Arc Fault breakers during the upgrade. I had not, and he advised I do so as they (City of South San Francisco) is requiring this for all new service upgrades. The inspector removed me from his schedule and stated I need to correct the issue prior to rescheduling.

I had not done any changes to any circuits inside the home, no remodeling is taking place, just got rid of an old panel (FPE) that had been filling up with water over the years and was about rusted through on the bottom.

Regardless, I am looking for the reference the inspector cited as coming from the CA Building Code, and waiting for the Building Official's response to my voice mail. Chime in if you've had any experience with this here in California.

Thanks!
 

curt swartz

Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
Location
San Jose, CA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
There is nothing that I'm aware of in the 2011 NEC that requires AFCI breakers for panel changes. Even if there was the inspector could not enforce it. California will not adopt the 2011 NEC for 3 years and the inspector must follow the current California Electrical Code which is based on the 2008 NEC. Ask the inspector to show you where in the 2008 NEC or 2010 CEC that AFCI's are required.
 
California started enforcing the 2010 California Electrical Code, based on the 2008 NEC, as of Jan. 1, 2011. The City of South San Francisco may have a policy to require AFCI at panel replacements even though not required by the NEC. The building official or a supervisor should be able to clarify if that is a requirement for you.
 
Last edited:

volt101

Senior Member
Location
New Hampshire
Branch Circuit. The circuit conductors between the final overcurrent device protecting the circuit and the outlet(s).

While doing a service change, you are not performing a branch circuit installation. You do not need be in article 210.
 

dana1028

Senior Member
SSF is enforcing the CA 2010 Electrical Code [2008 NEC]...and using the language 'as interpreted by the Building Official' to mean AFCIs have to be installed in a service change.

No argument will, so far, dissuade him from believing he is not correct....so - this comes from the BO, not the inspector.

SSF does [usually] provide a handout at the time the permit is taken instructing the electrical contractor of this requirement....I do understand a few contractors did get their permits without the handout unfortunately.
 

jgcruz

Member
Location
California
2010 California Electrical Code (2008 NEC) Article 89 (89.101.8.1) allows addition or deletion to the code, based upon climatic, topographical, or geological conditions. If the requirment is not in the code they have to file their findings (reasons) with the California Building Standards Commission.
 

dana1028

Senior Member
2010 California Electrical Code (2008 NEC) Article 89 (89.101.8.1) allows addition or deletion to the code, based upon climatic, topographical, or geological conditions. If the requirment is not in the code they have to file their findings (reasons) with the California Building Standards Commission.

SSF is not adding or amending the code, the BO is 'interpreting' the code - he does need state permission to do this.

I have worked for a number of jurisdictions - some create a departmental 'letter of interpretation' for cases like this - I don't believe SSF has done so however.
 

BMacky

Senior Member
Location
Foster City, CA
SSF is enforcing the CA 2010 Electrical Code [2008 NEC]...and using the language 'as interpreted by the Building Official' to mean AFCIs have to be installed in a service change.

No argument will, so far, dissuade him from believing he is not correct....so - this comes from the BO, not the inspector.

SSF does [usually] provide a handout at the time the permit is taken instructing the electrical contractor of this requirement....I do understand a few contractors did get their permits without the handout unfortunately.


Thanks for the comments. I spoke directly with the BO. He indirectly sided with me that this is going way beyond what's usually required or perhaps "allowed" in a service upgrade scenario, but that this is how they are interpreting the Code, and it stands that way.

I printed out their handout on-line, but it does not yet have this requirement on it. They mentioned that they are telling contractors and the like the requirement at the time of permitting. They are also backtracking previous permits for the new year, and calling homeowners/contractors, advising they need to do this regardless of the inspection pass without AFCIs installed (where the inspector missed this point). I am one of those contractors, having been signed off on an earlier job and now having to go back and install AFCIs.

So if a tree falls on a drop, rips the mast off the service, and you get called out to replace the service panel, you are required to install AFCIs; which of course, in my situation, includes splitting MWBC's in knob & tube configurations where a 12 gauge neutral is shared by 2 circuits at 15 and 20 amps.

Thanks to everyone who has added comments prior to this.
 

highvolts582

Senior Member
Location
brick nj
Arc faults

Arc faults

Not unless you add living space branch circuits for new living space in the home. (meaning an addition with new branch circuits.) you can wire the addition with existing branch circuits and not put in arch faults but if you run a new home run they should be used. What if there are 3 wire Home runs and you can not find a listed 2 pole arch fault breaker this is crazy.

Gotta love arch faults,
Feel The Power Electric LLC
 

al hildenbrand

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Occupation
Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
. . . you are required to install AFCIs; which of course, in my situation, includes splitting MWBC's in knob & tube configurations where a 12 gauge neutral is shared by 2 circuits at 15 and 20 amps.
There is a solution for this, according to the GE combination AFCI installation instructions.

A single pole GE combination AFCI can be used to protect one leg of a multiwire branch circuit with, or without, the MWBC neutral connecting to it.

So you can get a single pole GE combo AFCI (MOD 3) that is 20 A and another that is 15 A, hook them up to the MWBC hot conductors and put the MWBC neutral on only one of the AFCIs and you're done.

Of course, I'll bet that the box that is already installed at your customer's is not a GE. Murphy's Law will guarantee this.

This "MOD 3" AFCI has been sold for almost a year now, so it should be readily available. The printing "MOD 3" is on the face of the breaker itself in tiny ghost white, but it is there. It doesn't cost any more than other single pole AFCIs.

This is the only AFCI of it's type available now. The circuitry of the device does not use the ground fault differential sensing that all other AFCIs still have. That is, this GE AFCI does its work without requiring the hot and neutral currents to be balanced.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top