Arc fault breaker

[Donaciano_gonzalez@yahoo.]

I installed a new subpanel and the arcfault trips with out a load connected.
I turned off everything in main panel and tried it and again it instantly trips with no load

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[LarryFine]

Welcome to the forum.

If it even trips with no wires attached to the breaker, it must be defective.

The incoming voltages are correct, right?

 

[ptonsparky]

Make sure to reset it by turning it all the way Off, then on.

 

[Donaciano_gonzalez@yahoo.]

I tried other arcfault breakers and they do the same thing.i was wondering if the neufrom the electric company is at fault

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[hillbilly1]

With the load neutral disconnected, and the breaker off, check for continuity between the load neutral and ground. I believe you will find that it will show continuity. Probably a ground wire touching the neutral terminal in an outlet somewhere. Divide and conquer. Break the circuit in the middle, check for continuity again. Keep dividing until you locate the fault.

 

[Donaciano_gonzalez@yahoo.]

I turned everything off on main panel leaving only the subpanel on .there are only 2 breakers in sub both arcfaults it still trips Instantly

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[Donaciano_gonzalez@yahoo.]

It doesn't make sense since grounds and neutrals are together in main panel

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[Little Bill]

As Hillbilly said, there is a wiring fault somewhere.

 

[Little Bill]

It doesn't make sense since grounds and neutrals are together in main panel

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That's before the Arc fault breaker. On some brands there is a form of GFCI protection in them and you can't have neutrals and grounds touching past/downstream of the breaker or it will not set. In other words, treat it like they are GFCI and wire accordingly.

 

[Little Bill]

By chance, are these plug-on neutral breakers or do they have the pigtail?

 

[Donaciano_gonzalez@yahoo.]

Pig tail

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[Donaciano_gonzalez@yahoo.]

The circuits being feed are new ones as is the subpanel they are in

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[LarryFine]

Have you checked both L-N voltages yet? Try it with loads on standard breakers.

Try the tripping AFCI breakers in the main panel temporarily, if they'll fit.

 

[Donaciano_gonzalez@yahoo.]

Main oanel is ge sub is sq d

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[tom baker]

Substitute a gfci ckt breaker and see it it trips. If not you likely have a wiring issue cauff do info AFCI to trip

 

[Donaciano_gonzalez@yahoo.]

I will try that.
Does anyone know if the service neutral from
Co op could cause thus its a 200 amp underground service . Or a loose neutral at the Meyer

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[Donaciano_gonzalez@yahoo.]

Voltage is right. I thought it was the breaker and tried a new one.

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[hbiss]

I installed a new subpanel and the arcfault trips with out a load connected.

You mean it trips with your wiring removed from it? Breaker sitting in the panel all by itself disconnected? It trips as soon as you apply power to the sub-panel by turning on the breaker in the main panel that feeds it? Two of the same breakers in the sub-panel, only one does this?

What happens if you swap the breakers or move the one that trips to another slot?

Does anyone know if the service neutral from
Co op could cause thus its a 200 amp underground service .

Never heard of that. Can't see how.

thought it was the breaker and tried a new one.

Beginning to think you got a couple of bad breakers. Were they both from the same supply house at the same time?


-Hal

 

[letgomywago]

Is it a dualfunction with the gfci being self testing. When those are bad they are bad from the box I had issues for a couple eaton chs that did that brand new but from a big box.

 

[Little Bill]

I turned everything off on main panel leaving only the subpanel on .there are only 2 breakers in sub both arcfaults it still trips Instantly

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All though possible, I don't think both breakers are bad. You say there is only two AFCI breakers in the sub with no other breakers. You're going to have to go to each circuit and look at each device (receptacle, switch, lights, etc.) and see if there are any ground to neutral faults. With both breakers tripping, it sounds like the neutrals may be crossed or mixed up somewhere along the line. This most often happens in a multigang switch box.
You can take a short cut on test by doing as was said and replace the breakers with GFCI temporarily. If they trip, it shows that it is a ground to neutral fault. Then proceed in taking things apart.