AFCI in Manufactured Homes

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czars

Czars
Location
West Melbourne, FL
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Florida Certified Electrical Contractor
The 2011 NEC will be in effect in Florida on June 30, 2015. I do a lot of repair work for older folks who live in manufactured homes and receptacle replacement is common.

The 2011 NEC, Article 550.13(A)(2) specifically requires that receptacles in manufactured homes be installed IAW Article 406.4. 406.4 requires that when receptacles are replaced where AFCI protection is required by the 2011 NEC, AFCI protection must be provided by AFCI breakers or receptacles. However, 406.4 does not refer to Article 210.12(A) which requires a metal raceway or cable between the standard breaker and an AFCI receptacle at the beginning of the circuit.

Many of the manufactured homes have Westinghouse, Challenger or Bryant service panels for which AFCI breakers are not available. Thus, to provide AFCI protection, I would have to use AFCI receptacles. My question is: To utilize AFCI receptacles, would I have to install a metal raceway or cable between the service panel, using a standard breaker, and the AFCI receptacle as the first receptacle in the circuit?
 
This is one situation where the requirements to install AFCI's are so onerous as to make the needed repair impractical. Install a GFCI receptacle, feed the repair off the load side & be done with it.
 
czars said:
The 2011 NEC will be in effect in Florida on June 30, 2015. I do a lot of repair work for older folks who live in manufactured homes and receptacle replacement is common.

The 2011 NEC, Article 550.13(A)(2) specifically requires that receptacles in manufactured homes be installed IAW Article 406.4. 406.4 requires that when receptacles are replaced where AFCI protection is required by the 2011 NEC, AFCI protection must be provided by AFCI breakers or receptacles. However, 406.4 does not refer to Article 210.12(A) which requires a metal raceway or cable between the standard breaker and an AFCI receptacle at the beginning of the circuit.

Many of the manufactured homes have Westinghouse, Challenger or Bryant service panels for which AFCI breakers are not available. Thus, to provide AFCI protection, I would have to use AFCI receptacles. My question is: To utilize AFCI receptacles, would I have to install a metal raceway or cable between the service panel, using a standard breaker, and the AFCI receptacle as the first receptacle in the circuit?
Click to expand...
Not quite certain about Challenger, but the Westinghouse and Bryant lines are the same line just with name changes over the years and currently is under Eaton/Cutler Hammer's BR series, and those BR breakers should be acceptable to install in the Westinghouse or Bryant panels and possibly even the Challenger. Otherwise there are some panels out there that are not in current production and may not have an AFCI that is acceptable to use in them.

That said, here is what 2011 had to say on replacing an existing receptacle that has no AFCI protection:

(4) Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. Where a
receptacle outlet is supplied by a branch circuit that requires
arc-fault circuit interrupter protection as specified
elsewhere in this Code, a replacement receptacle at this
outlet shall be one of the following:
(1) A listed outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter
receptacle
(2) A receptacle protected by a listed outlet branch circuit
type arc-fault circuit interrupter type receptacle
(3) A receptacle protected by a listed combination type
arc-fault circuit interrupter type circuit breaker


This requirement becomes effective January 1, 2014.
Click to expand...

This section is unchanged in 2104.

210.12 in 2011 also gives you basically those same three options for extensions of branch circuits that require AFCI. I see no requirement for metallic wiring methods to first outlet - that was an exception to (A) which applies for new circuits, (B) is for extensions/modifications.

Those options are simple compared to the 210.12 options for existing work in 2014:roll:
 
The UL listed replacement for all of those breakers is the Cutler Hammer (Eaton) BR. Eaton purchased the Westinghouse distribution equipment line which Bryant and Challenger were part of.

Bryant = Type BR
Westinghouse = Type BR
Challenger = Type C

If you look at a Eaton BR breaker is will be marked as both type "BR" and Type "C"
 
Good news. It turns out that not all Eaton Technical Reps have the same information. I called Eaton this morning at 877-386-2273, option 2 and got the most recent information about Eaton BR AFCI breakers which is dated January 24, 2012. They are acceptable for use in Westinghouse, Bryant and Challenger panels. They sent me a PDF file showing the breaker compatibilities. I tried to put the table here, but couldn't figure out how to copy it. Call Eaton and get your own chart.
 
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