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.
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.