Another AFCI Question

[Davis Electrical]

This is probably a very stupid question but was wondering if I could get some opinions. My son just purchased a home that was in foreclosure and there's an open permit for a 15 by 45 foot addition. Needless to say, nothing was ever inspected. So here's the question: the house has A/C and there's a smoke in the hallway (old portion of house) that's wired into the blower control. The new addition includes a living room and large bedroom and, of course, in accordance with the local building code I have to add all the AFCI protected smokes. I would like to wire all of these into the blower control smoke but I am concerned about putting this blower circuit on an AFCI. Do I run them independent of the A/C on an AFCI, adding an additional smoke in the hallway (which would look ridiculous) or do I put them all, including the blower, on the AFCI?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Let me see if I can help--if I understand this correctly. The smokes must be on an afci but the blower does not. I am assuming that you want the blower to shut down when the smokes go off. Is this correct?

I would use a contactor fed from the control side of the smokes that would open the contactor to the blower. Would this work?

 

[480sparky]

Why do you not want the blower (whatever that is) on an AFCI?

 

[Davis Electrical]

Let me see if I can help--if I understand this correctly. The smokes must be on an afci but the blower does not. I am assuming that you want the blower to shut down when the smokes go off. Is this correct?

I would use a contactor fed from the control side of the smokes that would open the contactor to the blower. Would this work?

The A/C blower has one existing smoke that, I would assume, shuts the blower off, yes... so then it already has a contactor or control. I'm just trying to comply with the local ordinance that requires new interconnected AFCI protected smokes throughout the house. If shutting down the blower in the event of fire is necessary, I would prefer to put all of these new smokes on this circuit but I am concerned about putting this unit/ blower on an AFCI. Any opinions?

 

[480sparky]

The A/C blower has one existing smoke that, I would assume, shuts the blower off, yes... so then it already has a contactor or control. I'm just trying to comply with the local ordinance that requires new interconnected AFCI protected smokes throughout the house. If shutting down the blower in the event of fire is necessary, I would prefer to put all of these new smokes on this circuit but I am concerned about putting this unit/ blower on an AFCI. Any opinions?

Smokes being required to be AFCId is not a 'local' ordinance. It's in the NEC (210.12).

Cannot the circuit that feeds the smokes be put on an AFCI? Is there a local ordinance requiring the air handler to shut down if the smokes go off? If so, a simple relay from the manufacturer will perform that task admiraly.