Do AFCIs work on power cords?

[mbrooke]

Why do AFCIs stop looking for Arc Faults at 75 amps when a frayed cord can arc below that? :?:?:?




http://www.combinationafci.com/resou...ation_afci.pdf

 

[ptonsparky]

FWIW, we had installed AFCI on a service changeout a couple years ago. Customer called with complaint of tripping. My help found a damaged extension cord under a chair, lazyboy type IIRC. He did not take pictures. No calls since. Did it trip on SC or AF? IDK. It just worked.

 

[mbrooke]

At least it tripped, what matters :happyyes:

 

[growler]

FWIW, we had installed AFCI on a service changeout a couple years ago. Customer called with complaint of tripping. My help found a damaged extension cord under a chair, lazyboy type IIRC. He did not take pictures. No calls since. Did it trip on SC or AF? IDK. It just worked.

What I wonder is there anyone keeping records to see if AFCI protection really works. When there is a small fire from an extension cord is there a report submitted that states if the circuit was AFCI protected or not. Most of the homes I work on are old enough not to have required AFCI protection.

 

[ptonsparky]

Talked to my help. He said it was a CH CAFCI that showed a series fault code on a two wire residential type extension cord. One side of the two wire was pinched through so it was series. It had recently been brought up from basement storage and put into use. No fire. Did it prevent one? Maybe.

 

[romex jockey]

from the link>

While there is a test for the maximum short-circuit rating, there is no test for a minimum short-circuit rating. In other words, how high of a short-circuit current is required for a miniature circuit breaker to trip instantaneously. Testing showed that minimum short-circuit trip levels are too high, and response time too slow, for a circuit breaker to reliably respond in time to terminate the dangerous sporadic arcing when two conductors touch. Thus began the development of what today is called an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI)

au contraire .....:happyyes:

https://youtu.be/_2HyTRxzwXs

~RJ~

 

[LarryFine]

I've been under the impression that extension cords, as well as lamp cords, were the target of the original bedroom-receptacle AFCI recommendations/requirements.

 

[hbiss]

^^^THIS^^^

-Hal

 

[mbrooke]

I've been under the impression that extension cords, as well as lamp cords, were the target of the original bedroom-receptacle AFCI recommendations/requirements.

They were according to the CPSC.