AFCI satisfaction poll. Please take a moment to answer.

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AFCI satisfaction poll. Please take a moment to answer.


  • Total voters
    104
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mivey

Senior Member
I think you are giving me far more credit than I deserve. Organizing this forum is like herding cats.
Yeah, the trick to rallying the troops is to have troops in the first place. I think most everybody supports their own position.

I disagree with Don that the same poll by Paul would show a significantly different result. After all, we all know most people that know what they are talking about do not like AFCI devices and the way they were prematurely weaseled into the NEC.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
I think most everybody supports their own position.

Without a doubt.


I disagree with Don that the same poll by Paul would show a significantly different result.

I agree with you, I think the venue would make a difference but not who posted it.

For instance there are a number of people who voted against AFCIs that have no love for me. :eek:hmy::weeping::D They are obviously voting based on their feelings about AFCIs and not out of support for me.
 

MHElectric

Member
Location
NC
I voted Dissatisfied instead of Completely Dissatisfied and Want Them Out of the Code because I am in favour of technology that can make houses safer, however, in their present state I want them out of the code.

Not only don't they work they are making a mockery of the code.

I think getting rid of them and moving to some ground fault technology is the best move.
I agree 100% with this post. :thumbsup:
I voted Dissatisfied because these devices were rushed to the market before they were perfected. I'm all for safety devices but before they're part of a mandate they had better work flawlessly. The problem with AFCI's is that if you didn't require them then almost no one would willingly substitute a $40 breaker for a $5 one. :roll:

No kidding. It's simply a small monopoly that the breaker manufactures have been able to build by shaming the code panel to enforce their products. Products that don't work properly or have any real evidence to back up their credibility.

I think anything that is designed to improve safety is a good thing. A move in the right direction that I would support. AFCI's are NOT that, they are simply a money making scam to justify charging more money to the consumers.
 

romex jockey

Senior Member
Location
Vermont
Occupation
electrician
I voted Completely Dissatisfied and Want Them Out of the Code, because they are literally giving someone a $1000 EMPTY fire extinguisher , and telling them they're safe.....

~RJ~
 

1793

Senior Member
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Occupation
Inspector
While I voted to remove completely, I can see there are some instances to use AFCI's.

Most all of my work is Service calls, bad outlet, add an outlet to existing circuit, add a light and the like.

The problem I have is there are a lot of times the panels I run across are old and there are no ACFI breakers available. So then we have to install an AFCI receptacle at the start of the circuit, again most of the time not feasible. I think circuit modification, extension should be exempt from this requirement.

I can see where these requirements will start to have Handy Andy do electrical work that electricians should be doing because the HO does not want to pay $$$$$ because of this requirement.

I will concede that AFCI's have a place in new construction but I really don't like them. JMO.
 

fmtjfw

Senior Member
Without a doubt.




I agree with you, I think the venue would make a difference but not who posted it.

For instance there are a number of people who voted against AFCIs that have no love for me. :eek:hmy::weeping::D They are obviously voting based on their feelings about AFCIs and not out of support for me.

I have them in my own house (CBs 2006 vintage). The only nuisance trips have been on lightbulb failures. I bought newer AFCI's to replace the old vintage but have not installed them as the effort is more that resetting the old ones. I voted for them.
 

George Stolz

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Windsor, CO NEC: 2017
Occupation
Service Manager
The POLL here is useless (sorry, only my opinion do don't take offense).....I think it clear that OF the active posters on this forum that AFCI's are not supported so doing a poll of individuals who have already stated their opinions was pointless. I could have told you the outcome of this poll of MH Forum Members long before it was posted....:roll:

Now get them at ECM or EC to do a poll.......then the results would be valid.

So, when electricians who deal with the devices daily have an opinion that does not support your sycophantic adoration of AFCIs, you prefer to open the field of opinion to people who do not have to deal with them on a daily basis to improve your numbers?

You're taking the wrong tack at this. The opinions that would really drive electricians into the fold would be philosophy majors. They could convince the installers that in a perfect world, a government body should require a device that profits a private entity, regardless of verifiable efficacy. :happyyes:
 

Little Bill

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee NEC:2017
Occupation
Semi-Retired Electrician
The newer style breakers seem to be working better, no nuisance trips, and those that have tripped can be traced to a neutral to ground fault.

Do they work for fire prevention? IDK.

What's the point of the AFCI if they only trip on ground faults?
We could get by with just extra GFCI.

From the videos I've seen, no they don't detect series arcs nor glowing connections, so no fire prevention there.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
The POLL here is useless (sorry, only my opinion do don't take offense).....I think it clear that OF the active posters on this forum that AFCI's are not supported so doing a poll of individuals who have already stated their opinions was pointless. I could have told you the outcome of this poll of MH Forum Members long before it was posted....:roll:

Your opinion implies that only people who hate AFCI's post here, it's far more likely that their real world experiences with these devices shaped their opinions. Being an active poster here has almost nothing to do with it. :roll:
 

romex jockey

Senior Member
Location
Vermont
Occupation
electrician
Your opinion implies that only people who hate AFCI's post here, it's far more likely that their real world experiences with these devices shaped their opinions. Being an active poster here has almost nothing to do with it. :roll:


I've been bratteling on anecdotally for two decades Rob

It carries zero weight, sorry...........:(

~RJ~
 

cad99

Member
Location
ND
If this poll were two years ago, I would be saying nuke them out of the NEC. But I know they have improved false trip reliability a great deal in the last two years, Finally. It would be nice if the people who made bad ones fessed up in public , right on tv, about making electricians look bad to their customers because of all the useless tripping they did. I know that is not going to happen. But it is nice to dream.




Living the dream one nightmare at a time.
 

MasterTheNEC

CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
Location
McKinney, Texas
Occupation
CEO
Your opinion implies that only people who hate AFCI's post here, it's far more likely that their real world experiences with these devices shaped their opinions. Being an active poster here has almost nothing to do with it. :roll:
Oh I hear ya....spoken like a true moderator...
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I would be suspect of any similar poll done by EC or EC&M as well. Past experiences with EC&M especially give me that impression. They are all about advertising for those who pay for advertising, and when it comes to the extras - what makes a good story is more important then truthfulness. I submitted a photo for their code violations section one time and they used the photo, but totally twisted the story behind it, saying an inspector approved it when no inspector ever saw it, was just something I happened to come across that had been that way for maybe 20 years:thumbsdown:

I then got a call from director of State Electrical Division wanting to know which one of his inspectors passed that installation:roll:
 

al hildenbrand

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Occupation
Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
I voted Dissatisfied primarily because none of the AFCI devices can be tested in the field by anything other than the self contained TEST button. . . the ultimate self fulfilling proclamation. I suspect that there is some modicum of efficacy, but I just can't verify it, nor can I show it to my clients.

An advanced technology should not require the blind faith of its users.
 
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