Arc faults in California

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Neighbor asked me a question yesterday- he has a 100 year old 2-br house. Parts of the wiring are modern, including the panel/service, and parts are old or close to original, like the 2-prong receptacles on K&T in the bedrooms.

For his work, he has a stack of computers in the second bedroom (and no bed), and since the outlets there are ungrounded has been powering everything off a GFCI receptacle in a half-bath around the corner... There must be enough leakage that when he plugs in some equipment, it trips the GFCI. Wants to deal with all of this. Doesn't like the idea of AFCIs....

I haven't been tracking it for a while, but by my reading, pretty much all 15/20a receptacles now require GFCI or AFCI protection, even 240v room air-conditioners. As far as I can tell, unless he gets a 30a receptacle and a 30a PDU for supplying his equipment, he's stuck with an AFCI. Any ideas for a compliant installation? (I'm not doing the work, just said I'd check out the current requirements and sanity-check whatever proposal he gets. Don't have the time or the inclination to visit the attic & crawlspace.)

CA is still on the 2013 Cal. Elect. Code (2011 NEC + their own additions).
 

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
no way to escape AFCI other than your PDU suggestion.
Don't see the big deal with new circuit and AFCI.
You can use a AFCI outlet off a panel that does not accept a AFCI breaker and then run the new circuit from there.
 
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