AFCI

[hhsting]

I have plans which is dwelling unit and note is provided to provide AFCI receptacles.

I am wondering how can AFCI receptacles be provided for outlet where branch circuit feed light only and has light switch installed in areas mentioned NEC 2014 section 210.12?

 

[augie47]

Send the plans back to the originator. Tell them to review 210.12
If it's new circuits the branch circuit itself along the devices and outlets that need AFCI protection.

 

[Greentagger]

Switch and lighting outlet installed off load side of AFCI protected receptacle?

 

[hhsting]

Switch and lighting outlet installed off load side of AFCI protected receptacle?

Not if branch circuit is only light no receptacles

 

[hhsting]

I am also wondering if it’s direct hard wired connection to living room to a junction box without lights or switch would that need AFCI?

 

[tom baker]

A recpt can feed downstream devices, such as lights (or correctly, outlets)

 

[hhsting]

A recpt can feed downstream devices, such as lights (or correctly, outlets)

Ok but plans show branch circuit that is only feeding light No receptacle upstream or downstream

 

[hhsting]

I suppose one can use something similar for light switch AFCI but plans don’t call for it:

Combination AFCI with Switch, AFSW1

As a market leader in electrical wiring devices, Leviton's new line of OBC AFCI Devices address the dangers associated with both types of potentially hazardous arcing...

store.leviton.com

 

[Fred B]

Ok but plans show branch circuit that is only feeding light No receptacle upstream or downstream

You're the Electrician. And as @augie47 said above the entire new branch if serving area covered in 210.12 needs AFCI protection, so if designer indicates an impractical application, you the electrician have a responsibility to clarify with architect/engineer code requirements when plan design aparrently goes astray. I do this quite often and they mostly respond "just make it right, you're the electrician". Most times the plan designers I've came across are uterly unaware of electrical code requirements, they just indicate they want lights here or there, or a specific purpose receptacle placement location (unless the plans design specifically by electrical engineer then it becomes very electrically detailed). It sounds like your designer was at atleast partially aware of AFCI requirements and included notation on plan acknowledging the requirements.

 

[al hildenbrand]

I am also wondering if it’s direct hard wired connection to living room to a junction box without lights or switch would that need AFCI?

A junction box with a blank cover that houses the splice of, say, three cables to each other, the individual conductors being spliced with, say, wirenuts, has NO "outlet" or "device". If the cables just end without switch, receptacle, luminaire, or direct connected utilization equipment, the "branch circuit" is incomplete.

(Read Article 100 Definitions of the terms "outlet" and "device" and read 210.12 again).

A hardwired load ("utilization equipment"), say, an electric heater, or a smoke detector, are connected to the "branch circuit" at a "hardwire" splice that IS an outlet. When installing a new branch circuit, the conductors from the "overcurrent protective device" to the "outlet" must be protected by AFCI.