al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
For the life of me I can't get this to settle down in my head.2011 NEC 210.12(B)(2) . . .where branch-circuit wiring is modified, replaced or extended, the branch circuit shall be protected by one of the following:
(2) A listed outlet branch-circuit AFCI located at the first receptacle outlet of the existing branch circuit.
I suppose this means that the BCO AFCI is placed in the receptacle outlet that is as close to the overcurrent protective device (OCPD) as originally wired on the existing branch circuit . . .
-- But --
When I look at where the branch-circuit wiring is modified, replaced or extended and look for the first receptacle outlet of the existing branch circuit there, I come up with something different. The "first receptacle outlet" should be the receptacle outlet closest to the new wiring.
And, what if the branch circuit is run: OCPD -- lighting outlet (LO) -- LO -- LO -- NEW EXTENSION to Receptacle Outlet. An existing branch circuit where there is no receptacle outlet on the existing branch circuit?
There are a whole bunch of possible configurations that will be existing branch circuits, numbers of which will not have a receptacle outlet in series with the rest of the downstream branch circuit. 210.12(B)(2) does not instruct adding of a NEW receptacle outlet for the BCO AFCI. In this case am I forced NOT to use a BCO AFCI?