AFCI Breakers and AFCI Receptacle

[czars]

2/21/2014
I wanted to share what I have learned over the past few days by talking to Schneider (Square D), Eaton (Cutler Hammer) and Siemens about AFCI breakers as well as Leviton about AFCI receptacles.

Schneider/ Square D
1. Schneider does not manufacture a 2-pole combination AFCI breaker, but they are in development.
2. They do make single pole combination AFCI breakers and they do not contain any ground fault detection capability.
3. Schneider also manufactures single pole, ?Dual Function? devices that do contain both a combination arc fault detection and a ground fault detection capability. These devices are identified as: QO115DF, QO120DF, HOM115DF and HOM120DF. Apparently these breakers can provide both AFCI and GFCI protection for circuits like kitchen countertop receptacles as required by the 2014 NEC.

Eaton/Cutler Hammer
1. Eaton manufactures both single pole and 2-pole, combination, AFCI breakers for the BR and CH panels.
2. In the 2009 timeframe, and probably before, the single pole AFCI breakers contained a ground fault detection capability which had a threshold at about 30ma. However, the currently manufactured AFCI breakers have been ?improved? and no longer contain any ground fault detection or protection capability.
3. The 2-pole breakers do not contain any ground fault detection capability and are suitable for use on MWBCs.
4. The BR AFCI breakers are not suitable for use in Westinghouse, Challenger or Bryant panels.

Siemens
1. Siemens manufactures both single pole and 2-pole, combination, AFCI breakers.
2. The single pole, combination, AFCI breakers that are currently manufactured do not have any ground fault detection capability.
3. The 2-pole breakers do not contain any ground fault detection or protection capability and are suitable for use on MWBCs.
4. The Siemens breakers are suitable for use in all Siemens, Murray, I-T-E and Crouse-Hinds panels.

Leviton
1. Leviton manufacturers both 15A and 20A combination AFCI receptacles. They are identified as: AFTR1-(letter for color).
2. The receptacle contains no ground fault detection or protection capability.
3. The receptacles are available from a number of sources including Amazon for about $26.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

If they have all deleted the GFP function, then it is my opinion that the AFCI devices are totally worthless. The only part that really has much chance of preventing a fire is the GFP function. There is no evidence that sustained arcing is even possible as dwelling unit voltage levels and the AFCI cannot detect a poor connection because that is not an arc. In the past the only way the AFCI would detect and clear a poor connection fault was when the heat from the poor connection did enough damage to the insulation so as to create a ground fault.

 

[curt swartz]

I know for a fact that all 3 manufactures you have listed DO have GF protection. As far as I know GE is the only one to have eliminated it.

I agree with Don, the GF protection is the most important part of the breaker.

Edited to add the following:

From SquareD

TIME SAVER Diagnostics identify circuit issues faster. The TIME SAVER sequence is simple and easy to
use, and requires no tools or special training.

Simply turn off the circuit breaker, hold down the Push-To-Test button, and then turn the circuit breaker
back on. It?s that simple!

If the circuit breaker trips immediately, it is detecting a Fault to Ground.

If the circuit breaker trips after a 2-second delay; it is detecting an Arc Fault. In either case, it is an
indication that there is an issue ON the circuit and NOT with the circuit breaker itself.
TIME SAVER Diagnostics is equipped in all Square D

HomeLine and QO(B) CAFI Circuit Breakers
(1-Pole and 2-Pole) and Dual Function Circuit Breakers with a date code of 1130 or higher.


From Siemens
Trip indicators provide a valuable analysis tool to help electricians pinpoint the type of trip.
The LED indications will appear for 5 seconds each time the AFCI is turned ?ON? up to 30 days after the last trip.
One LED will be illuminated if the last trip was a result of an arcing fault.
Two LEDs will be illuminated if the last trip was a result of an arcing fault to ground.
No indication will be displayed if the AFCI trips as a result of an overcurrent condition.
This last known trip indication can also be cleared from memory to assist with verifying resolution of the problem.

From CH
Trip codes are stored permanently into the breaker?s memory, to identify the cause.
? Thermal trip/manual disconnect
? Series arc
? Parallel arc
? Short delay
? Overvoltage
? Ground fault
? Self test failure

 

[JDBrown]

2/21/2014
I wanted to share what I have learned over the past few days by talking to Schneider (Square D), Eaton (Cutler Hammer) and Siemens about AFCI breakers as well as Leviton about AFCI receptacles.

Schneider/ Square D
1. Schneider does not manufacture a 2-pole combination AFCI breaker, but they are in development.
2. They do make single pole combination AFCI breakers and they do not contain any ground fault detection capability.
3. Schneider also manufactures single pole, ?Dual Function? devices that do contain both a combination arc fault detection and a ground fault detection capability. These devices are identified as: QO115DF, QO120DF, HOM115DF and HOM120DF. Apparently these breakers can provide both AFCI and GFCI protection for circuits like kitchen countertop receptacles as required by the 2014 NEC.

Eaton/Cutler Hammer
1. Eaton manufactures both single pole and 2-pole, combination, AFCI breakers for the BR and CH panels.
2. In the 2009 timeframe, and probably before, the single pole AFCI breakers contained a ground fault detection capability which had a threshold at about 30ma. However, the currently manufactured AFCI breakers have been ?improved? and no longer contain any ground fault detection or protection capability.
3. The 2-pole breakers do not contain any ground fault detection capability and are suitable for use on MWBCs.
4. The BR AFCI breakers are not suitable for use in Westinghouse, Challenger or Bryant panels.

Siemens
1. Siemens manufactures both single pole and 2-pole, combination, AFCI breakers.
2. The single pole, combination, AFCI breakers that are currently manufactured do not have any ground fault detection capability.
3. The 2-pole breakers do not contain any ground fault detection or protection capability and are suitable for use on MWBCs.
4. The Siemens breakers are suitable for use in all Siemens, Murray, I-T-E and Crouse-Hinds panels.

Leviton
1. Leviton manufacturers both 15A and 20A combination AFCI receptacles. They are identified as: AFTR1-(letter for color).
2. The receptacle contains no ground fault detection or protection capability.
3. The receptacles are available from a number of sources including Amazon for about $26.

That's pretty ridiculous. I wonder what the reason is for them not being suitable, even though those panels use BR breakers.

Oh, well. I guess if I ever do a remodel I'll just have to plan on buying a new load center to replace the perfectly good one I already have.

[SARC]Either that, or I'll just do all the work myself on the sly, without pulling a permit, and then I won't have to use AFCIs at all. If somebody calls me on it after the fact, I'll just claim the house was always wired this way. After all, the Building Department doesn't keep copies of the original plans anymore, so who can prove me wrong?[/SARC] Seriously, though, that was my first gut reaction to this, and I know better. How many people who don't know better will have the same reaction? On the other hand, they're not likely to find out they'll need a panel upgrade as part of their remodel until after they've involved an electrician and/or pulled a permit, so it'll be too late for them anyway.

I am curious about Eaton's reasoning, though. (I assume there is an actual technical reason, not just "We'll sell more new panels this way!")

 

[tom baker]

Sq SD has 2 pole breaker, its a QO215CAFI.
The ground fault detection was such that he BC Feeder type were dual listed as GFPE devices.
The combo AFCI breakers have GF protection as they will trip on a neutral ground fault, as shown on device literature and at the NEMA/UL training class on line.

>>>>Question> 210.12(A)(4)(d) in the 2014 NEC
The combination of the branch-circuit overcurrent device and outlet branch-circuit AFCI shall be identified as meeting the requirements for a system
combination?type AFCI and shall be listed as such.

A call to Sq D and the tech support asked an product engineer, the reply was any listed overcurrent device and listed outlet BC AFCI are suitable.
What I read is the two devices are a "tested pair". IE a Sq D QO115 and Leviton outlet branch-circuit AFCI would be identified as a pair by Sq D.

 

[Sierrasparky]

2/21/2014
I wanted to share what I have learned over the past few days by talking to Schneider (Square D), Eaton (Cutler Hammer) and Siemens about AFCI breakers as well as Leviton about AFCI receptacles.

Schneider/ Square D
1. Schneider does not manufacture a 2-pole combination AFCI breaker, but they are in development.
2. They do make single pole combination AFCI breakers and they do not contain any ground fault detection capability.
3. Schneider also manufactures single pole, ?Dual Function? devices that do contain both a combination arc fault detection and a ground fault detection capability. These devices are identified as: QO115DF, QO120DF, HOM115DF and HOM120DF. Apparently these breakers can provide both AFCI and GFCI protection for circuits like kitchen countertop receptacles as required by the 2014 NEC.

Eaton/Cutler Hammer
1. Eaton manufactures both single pole and 2-pole, combination, AFCI breakers for the BR and CH panels.
2. In the 2009 timeframe, and probably before, the single pole AFCI breakers contained a ground fault detection capability which had a threshold at about 30ma. However, the currently manufactured AFCI breakers have been ?improved? and no longer contain any ground fault detection or protection capability.
3. The 2-pole breakers do not contain any ground fault detection capability and are suitable for use on MWBCs.
4. The BR AFCI breakers are not suitable for use in Westinghouse, Challenger or Bryant panels.

Siemens
1. Siemens manufactures both single pole and 2-pole, combination, AFCI breakers.
2. The single pole, combination, AFCI breakers that are currently manufactured do not have any ground fault detection capability.
3. The 2-pole breakers do not contain any ground fault detection or protection capability and are suitable for use on MWBCs.
4. The Siemens breakers are suitable for use in all Siemens, Murray, I-T-E and Crouse-Hinds panels.

Leviton
1. Leviton manufacturers both 15A and 20A combination AFCI receptacles. They are identified as: AFTR1-(letter for color).
2. The receptacle contains no ground fault detection or protection capability.
3. The receptacles are available from a number of sources including Amazon for about $26.

I think you or the company representative misunderstood something.
As stated by others only GE has removed the GF portion of the electronics from the breakers.
They must have thought you were thinking of GFCI protection for personell , and no those breakers do not have that. However to do have some GF detection. The GF detection is what caused them to trip in a N-G condition.