210.12 AFCI Protection

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Bob Clukey

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210.12 now gives us 6 choices to provide AFCI protection. Choices 1, 5, + 6 are basically the same as in the 2011 NEC. Choices 3, 4, + 5 are new. Could someone explain what a listed branch/feeder type AFCI in choice # 2 is? Also, how about a listed supplemental arc protection circuit breaker and in reality just explain choices 2,3, + 4. Seems very confusing. Thanks for any help.
 
210.12 AFCI

210.12 AFCI

The way i have interpeted this code is they want an AFCI breaker at the pannel, and a AFCI receptical at the first outlet box and the box cant be more that 50ft #14-(70ft #12) from the origin of the branch. Also it must be clearly marked as the first outlet box
 
mattawamkeag said:
The way i have interpeted this code is they want an AFCI breaker at the pannel, and a AFCI receptical at the first outlet box and the box cant be more that 50ft #14-(70ft #12) from the origin of the branch. Also it must be clearly marked as the first outlet box
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They do not want or require an AFCI breaker and a AFCI receptacle. The receptacle is used in place of the breaker and is usually for existing circuits.
 
When the requirement for combination AFCI protection was required 1/1/08 the branch circuit breakers became obsolete -- 2014 allows the circuit to be protected with 2 branch circuit type devices eliminating the need for series & parallel (combination) AFCI protection for some reason -- This might of been a way to justify leaving installed AFCI breakers in the panel for alterations in order to meet current code -- orrrr --- manufactures got upset with an abundance of supply so they lobbied the code panels out of the safty factor of combination protection that was dearly needed in 2008 -- money talks bu----it walks
 
210.12 AFCI

210.12 AFCI

You guys probly know way more about the code than me i have only been using it for 2 years. And all thease threads are helping me better under stand the code.. and i thank everyone for that

210.12(A)2 says a AFCI breaker in combination with an AFCI receptacle

(A)4 says listed OCPD in combination with an AFCI receptacle.

I guess i dont really know witch one the nec wants.
 
mattawamkeag said:
You guys probly know way more about the code than me i have only been using it for 2 years. And all thease threads are helping me better under stand the code.. and i thank everyone for that

210.12(A)2 says a AFCI breaker in combination with an AFCI receptacle

(A)4 says listed OCPD in combination with an AFCI receptacle.

I guess i dont really know witch one the nec wants.
Click to expand...
The answer is that the NEC will accept any one of the listed alternatives, and there is not officially any order of preference among them.

Option (2) is really there just for completeness, to say that you can combine a listed AFCI breaker with a listed AFCI receptacle in the first outlet box if you want to, even though just the listed combination AFCI breaker alone would have been enough.

Option (3) is the combination of a "lesser" form of AFCI breaker with a receptacle unit, and adds additional conditions that must be met if you go this route.

Option (4) is the combination of an ordinary breaker (since there cannot be a branch circuit without a branch OCPD) with a receptacle unit. If you go this route, the restrictions on the wiring leading up to the receptacle device as well as the combined listing of the breaker and receptacle device are even more strict.

Note carefully that the receptacle device must not just be the first receptacle on the circuit, it must also be at the first outlet on the circuit. So be careful about the presence of lighting or other outlets before the first receptacle box.
 
listed standard overcurrent devices compatible with OBS AFCI

listed standard overcurrent devices compatible with OBS AFCI

Now that 2014 is here, does anyone know of any standard overcurrent devices that are compatible with the OBS AFCI's so that they are listed for system combination in accordance wityh 210.12(A)(4)?
 
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