AFCI

[resistance]

Hello! Do they have an AFCI tester that actually works now?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Some claim they work but they are very expensive. I have never used one and really don't see the need for one

 

[A/A Fuel GTX]

They can't even make an AFCI that works not to mention a tester.

 

[Hendrix]

Hello! Do they have an AFCI tester that actually works now?

I have an Ideal tester. Sometimes it works sometimes it dosen't. I uaually just turn off all afci breakers and then test all circuits with a normal tester to see what is hot and what isn't.

 

[al hildenbrand]

Hello! Do they have an AFCI tester that actually works now?

An AFCI, being essentially a real time signal processor, has to respond to what its engineers have deemed to be "harmful" electrical arc activity as "seen" by the electronics in the AFCI breaker or AFCI receptacle. The possible waveform shape of the harmful arc signature will be, literally, infinitely variable. And then there are the branch circuit wiring and load waveforms that are not deemed to be "harmful". One can't test each and every possible variation of waveform to be sure that it trips or doesn't trip the AFCI.

The only accepted test of an AFCI is the manufacturer's TEST button on the device. And, even then, the test only demonstrates that it worked in the past, not that it will work in the future.

The electronics in an AFCI continue to develop as actual history of performance is studied and continuing research and development results in changes incorporated into the engineering design of the arc discrimination, on both the mathematical and microcircuit level.

While GFIs went through an improvement cycle for many years, they only respond to a current, any current, rising above a threshold (with additional detection of neutral / EGC contact and in some cases open neutral sensing) - something that can be tested.