ARC Fault breakers when doing a panel update

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ericmccurley

ericmccurley

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Arkansas
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Electrician
So article 210.8 (A) reads all 125 V, single phase 15 and 20 amp receptacles installed in the location specified in 210.8 a one through 10 shall have ground fault circuit interrupter protection for personal. However, when doing a service upgrade/panel upgrade no local inspector has stated that I need to install arc breakers. I'm assuming that it has to do with my local codes? Also, and I'm more interested in this question. If I install arc fault breakers when I do a panel upgrade or service upgrade at a house that has been wired back in the 40s 50s or 60s with all the neutrals shared in the electrical system. Would I have problems down the road with the customer, calling me back for arc fault, breakers continually tripping from shared neutrals? My experience tells me yes, and I don't want to take the risk and find out. But I guess I don't understand electrical theory well enough to figure this out and I have zero experience because I have never been required to do this.
 
210.12(D) fairly well covers the 1st part of your question.
Yes, shared neutrals would create a problem if you installed AFCI breakers.
 
ericmccurley said:
So article 210.8 (A) reads all 125 V, single phase 15 and 20 amp receptacles installed in the location specified in 210.8 a one through 10 shall have ground fault circuit interrupter protection for personal. However, when doing a service upgrade/panel upgrade no local inspector has stated that I need to install arc breakers. I'm assuming that it has to do with my local codes? Also, and I'm more interested in this question. If I install arc fault breakers when I do a panel upgrade or service upgrade at a house that has been wired back in the 40s 50s or 60s with all the neutrals shared in the electrical system. Would I have problems down the road with the customer, calling me back for arc fault, breakers continually tripping from shared neutrals? My experience tells me yes, and I don't want to take the risk and find out. But I guess I don't understand electrical theory well enough to figure this out and I have zero experience because I have never been required to do this.
Click to expand...

I like your logo ! I would put a disclaimer on my invoices "Not Responsible For GFCI/AFCI Installed after 60 Days".
 
ericmccurley said:
So article 210.8 (A) reads all 125 V, single phase 15 and 20 amp receptacles installed in the location specified in 210.8 a one through 10 shall have ground fault circuit interrupter protection for personal. However, when doing a service upgrade/panel upgrade no local inspector has stated that I need to install arc breakers. I'm assuming that it has to do with my local codes? Also, and I'm more interested in this question. If I install arc fault breakers when I do a panel upgrade or service upgrade at a house that has been wired back in the 40s 50s or 60s with all the neutrals shared in the electrical system. Would I have problems down the road with the customer, calling me back for arc fault, breakers continually tripping from shared neutrals? My experience tells me yes, and I don't want to take the risk and find out. But I guess I don't understand electrical theory well enough to figure this out and I have zero experience because I have never been required to do this.
Click to expand...
please disregard this post as my reference to 210.8 is clearly wrong. Article 210.12 is what I am referring too.
 
The NEC doesn't require AFCI's on a panel upgrade as long as the existing circuits aren't extended more than 6'. I just changed out a panel with no new AFCI's.
 
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