You have been here long enough to know that most if not every time this subject comes up on the forum it is a direct result of someone trying to use one of those AFCI indicator units without knowing it's limitations.
I participate here in an attempt to actually try to provide useful information to someone who asks for help. Telling someone that their test equipment should be thrown away is not all that helpful.
Because someone does not know all the limitations of a piece of equipment does not make the equipment itself worthless.
If a person did not know how to properly use an oscilloscope (or maybe a power quality analyzer) that is not the equipments fault.
In these cases I believe it is appropriate to attempt to help the person understand how to use the equipment rather than make negative judgments about the equipments value.
This is costing ECs real money due to failing inspections that should have passed
But I guess that does not matter, ECs can just suck it up as long as Ideal is making money selling equipment that is not very clearly labeled as to it's limitations.
Of course it matters. I was under the impression that these devices could not be used to fail an inspection? I stated that it cannot be used to deem an AFCI as defective. I was attempting to clarify what it can be useful for.
And to top it off no one has presented any evidence at all that an external tester is needed. I have only seen a personal opinion that external testers are needed to ensure the public safety.
don_resqcapt19 spoke to the issue in his post. If the tester cannot cause the AFCI to trip ... is the tester no good or is it possible that the AFCI will not trip on a real arc due to line impedance? This is why I see value in an external tester such that the circuit is tested along with the breaker.
None of the AFCI manufactures have indicated that an external tester is desirable, I will assume they know more about it than I or anyone on this forum.
Of course they have not. If it is true that too much line impedance will prevent the AFCI from tripping they surely do not want external testers that might demonstrate that. They are protecting their interests and so have no desire to promote other companies testers.
You are aware of the Siemens device that is supposed to help you troubleshoot AFCIs aren't you. When it becomes in their best interest to introduce an external tester they will produce their own.
IMO this is an intelligent and well thought out post based on facts and not personal wants.
My problem with your posts is that you assume a lot about what I want.
I have no business interest nor a personal desire to have an external tester.
I do not have to deal with AFCI issues on a daily basis.
I read these posts and attempt to help answer the questions posed to be best of my technical ability. In the course of that I offer technical explanations because I am interested in how things work.
I originally undertook testing of an AFCI device myself because I wanted to help uncover some the mystery behind them and to share some of that information in this forum.
I fully understand that many electricians may not care or may not be able to spend the extra time to get into all the technical details. I understand that an electrician has to fix the problem in as short of a time as possible to make a living. The business is very competitive.
I am only supporting the concept that an external tester has merit from a technical standpoint.
As a moderator I would ask that you please refrain from making comments about what you think I want.
In the beginning you stated that I have been around this forum long enough to understand certain things. What I have come to understand is that you are quick to judge and often times about things which you may not have a very good understanding of.
With any kind of luck the dang things will be cast aside in the coming code changes. It is a square wheel as far as I am concerned.
