Re: 210.12(B) AFCI PROTECTION code change 2008
This is probably a dump question but I have been researching this AFCI issue and can say I was not much of a believer in it back a few years ago but today and starting to understand it more.
However, In the case of Smoke Detectors on the AFCI circuit is to me a blind leading the blind issue...for these reasons...
Is it not true when we install a fire motor we set it to run until it completly burns up as it should be...However, in a smoke detector situation is it not possible the AFCI fails and does not stop or shut down the circuit until it reaches a point that it does..all the while the arc causes a fire before this happens and the smoke detector curcuit is shut down in that room.
Yes, they are battery backed up......as long as the resident actually keeps track of that..anyway my questions is why not simply interlink all the smokes as we do now and demand their own circuit rather than placing them on AFCI systems.
Ok...might be a dumb question but I find myself not feeling a smoke detector should be on a circuit like that as i feel it should be designed to work over and above the AFCI system it is helping protect.
[ February 01, 2005, 10:40 AM: Message edited by: radiopet ]