AFCI circuit upgrades

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ItsHot

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Are the kinks worked out of afci breakers to the point where you could upgrade exsisting branch circuits to afci circuits. I guess my question would be.. are any ec's doing afci circuit upgrades? If afci's are so great , are any of you having a request to do this?
 
There are no kinks in AFCI breakers. They will work well when installed properly. They might still trip, but that will have nothing to do with the breakers.
 
new work vs. old work

new work vs. old work

mdshunk said:
There are no kinks in AFCI breakers. They will work well when installed properly. They might still trip, but that will have nothing to do with the breakers.
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Marc I have installed quite a few afci's in new work with no troubles, do you think there is a demand for them to be used as an upgrade to "old" circuits?? As a sales type service.
 
ItsHot said:
Marc I have installed quite a few afci's in new work with no troubles, do you think there is a demand for them to be used as an upgrade to "old" circuits?? As a sales type service.
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I try real hard to do that when I get a certain type of customer on the hook. It really takes someone with certain preconceived ideas of their own about safety to buy such an upgrade ,but I've done more than a few. When you run into a person that seems scared of everything, they're the one's who buy AFCI upgrades.
 
good point

good point

mdshunk said:
I try real hard to do that when I get a certain type of customer on the hook. It really takes someone with certain preconceived ideas of their own about safety to buy such an upgrade ,but I've done more than a few. When you run into a person that seems scared of everything, they're the one's who buy AFCI upgrades.
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That is a good point! I was curious if any insurance companies are recomending this?:-?
 
ItsHot said:
That is a good point! I was curious if any insurance companies are recomending this?:-?
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"G" I just wonder what is the Code requirement if you touch it or not ? ?
 
i sell afci's as an upgrade to all circuits on new homes, and as protection in an older home. I've had no problems so far, but I installed them on all the circuits in my house and occasionally get a vaccum trip; but i knew that may happen at times.
 
I have been installing AFCI breakers in bedroom circuits on change-outs,
for the last few years. Have had a few problems on some of the older homes.
But the problems are always in the wireing, Not a fault of the breaker.
 
Its the only way Ill do it.

Its the only way Ill do it.

Ive done a few AFCI retrofits when new panels go in. I have found that replacing existing receptacles is the best bet to reduce call backs. Most of the bedroom circuits will be quick wired and some will be ... compromised, so to speak. Ive seen where over a third of the receptacle wiring was either burned or the receptacles broken. Gives you a chance to up sell. It also idiot proofs the install by double checking neutral hot relationships.
 
mdshunk said:
There are no kinks in AFCI breakers. They will work well when installed properly. They might still trip, but that will have nothing to do with the breakers.
Click to expand...
So, you've never had one bad breaker. I mean one truly defective AFCI breaker? I think that breaks the law of averages!

Back to the OP, when used properly, just like GFCI, everything works fine. If you have any trouble with them, odds are there is a problem somewhere else.
 
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Ive purposely waited a few years so that the bugs in the AFCI go away. Remember the Square D recall? People are getting used to the idea that AFCI's exist. They are in all the new empty houses and the word is getting out there what they are. They also improve the profitability of a panel change out. The profit margin is much sweeter on a $50 breaker than a $4 breaker. The grounding issues also plays into this. ($30 ground rods vs $11). Its an opportunity. It not only gets your foot in the door it gets a couple of crews rippin out outlets and drivin ground rods.
 
GUNNING said:
Ive purposely waited a few years so that the bugs in the AFCI go away. Remember the Square D recall? . . . . . .
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So you had a bunch of callbacks on breakers that wouldn't trip?
 
brantmacga said:
i sell afci's as an upgrade to all circuits on new homes, and as protection in an older home. I've had no problems so far, but I installed them on all the circuits in my house and occasionally get a vaccum trip; but i knew that may happen at times.
Click to expand...


So no heat issues with all the stacked AFCI's ?

I recall reading something bad about that here.
 
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?

The problems I have with AFCI's in the past are when people plug in devices to their receptacles when they are on and get the spark / click /trip sound.
I also get a buzzing from some of the AFCI's. I'm wondering if that was from inducted loads from all the coils and junk inside them and there close proximity. Haven't had that happen in a while though.
 
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