A situation has come up on new construction of several homes where lighting fixtures in the master bathroom are controlled from a single pole toggle switch located in the adjacent master bedroom. Does the NEC require AFCI protection for the 15 amp, 120 volt branch circuit that serves those bathroom light fixtures and lights in other areas ( but no outlets in the bedroom ) even though the switch is located in the bedroom? I don't think so, because a switch does not correspond with the Article 100 definition of an outlet, i.e., "a point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment". A switch does not TAKE current, but instead it either opens or closes an electrical circuit thet supplies current to utilization equipment. The local inspector disagrees. What's your opinion? Are we crossing a fine line here?
AFCI
- Thread starter dmullaney
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ryan_618
Senior Member
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- Salt Lake City, Utah
Re: AFCI
Heres a poor answer for your... I agree with you for the most part, and I as an inspector would have a hard time getting excited about your installation. You are correct in that the switch doesn't utilize any current, but I do believe it takes current. Why else would the switch have an ampere rating? Good luck...
Heres a poor answer for your... I agree with you for the most part, and I as an inspector would have a hard time getting excited about your installation. You are correct in that the switch doesn't utilize any current, but I do believe it takes current. Why else would the switch have an ampere rating? Good luck...
- Location
- Lockport, IL
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- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: AFCI
My first perspective is that of the English language. Unless and until it is proven inappropriate for a specific case, I believe that we must credit the authors of any code with having carefully and thoughtfully selected their words. We do not ?take? current at the switch to supply ?utilization equipment.? Rather, we pass current through the switch to supply an outlet that is located in the bathroom. At that outlet, we take current to supply a light or a receptacle. Therefore, the switch is not an ?outlet,? as defined in the article that you have quoted.
My second perspective focuses on the hazard that we are trying to alleviate, the dangerous situation that we are trying to avert. Why does the code require us to install an AFCI to protect outlets in a bedroom? My answer is, ?To prevent fires from being started by frayed extension cords, or by cheap and shoddy light fixtures.? But you cannot plug an extension cord into a wall light switch. You cannot hang a wall-mounted light fixture on top of a wall light switch. Nothing protrudes from a wall light switch except the switch handle. But that handle is plastic, and cannot be a participant in an arc fault. Therefore, there is no technical reason for including the wall switch in the AFCI circuit.
The best perspective on this question, however, I can no longer offer, since I am no longer a member of the NFPA. Any current member can get information from the technical committee discussions that led to the change in the 2002 NEC. Those discussions may well include a clear statement, on the part of the code authors, regarding whether they intended to include a wall switch in the AFCI requirements. Any NFPA members present who would like to give it a go?
I agree with you. Furthermore, I believe there is no reasonable basis for the inspector?s position. I support my stance from two perspectives.
My first perspective is that of the English language. Unless and until it is proven inappropriate for a specific case, I believe that we must credit the authors of any code with having carefully and thoughtfully selected their words. We do not ?take? current at the switch to supply ?utilization equipment.? Rather, we pass current through the switch to supply an outlet that is located in the bathroom. At that outlet, we take current to supply a light or a receptacle. Therefore, the switch is not an ?outlet,? as defined in the article that you have quoted.
My second perspective focuses on the hazard that we are trying to alleviate, the dangerous situation that we are trying to avert. Why does the code require us to install an AFCI to protect outlets in a bedroom? My answer is, ?To prevent fires from being started by frayed extension cords, or by cheap and shoddy light fixtures.? But you cannot plug an extension cord into a wall light switch. You cannot hang a wall-mounted light fixture on top of a wall light switch. Nothing protrudes from a wall light switch except the switch handle. But that handle is plastic, and cannot be a participant in an arc fault. Therefore, there is no technical reason for including the wall switch in the AFCI circuit.
The best perspective on this question, however, I can no longer offer, since I am no longer a member of the NFPA. Any current member can get information from the technical committee discussions that led to the change in the 2002 NEC. Those discussions may well include a clear statement, on the part of the code authors, regarding whether they intended to include a wall switch in the AFCI requirements. Any NFPA members present who would like to give it a go?
Re: AFCI
As a back up to Charlie b's first perspetive, put an ammeter in line in the circuit with the switch closed, log this reading, now with the switch open, jump around it with the ammeter, you will have the same reading.
This will proove there is no current "taken" by the switch.
Roger
As a back up to Charlie b's first perspetive, put an ammeter in line in the circuit with the switch closed, log this reading, now with the switch open, jump around it with the ammeter, you will have the same reading.
This will proove there is no current "taken" by the switch.
Roger
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