Arc fault devices

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shputnik said:
Do they make a combination series parallel arc fault device?
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Well lets put it this way, they make devices and they say on the box that they are combination parallel series arc fault devices, but you won't hear me saying they are really actual series parallel working working honest to God devices........
 
shputnik said:
Do they make a combination series parallel arc fault device?
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Are you by chance asking about the outlet type AFCI devices? I don't think those are combination type.

New AFCI circuit breakers have been combination type for quite a while now.
 
tadavidson said:
Okay, I'll open my mouth and prove my ignorance What exactly is a series parallel breaker?
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The AFCIs used now are supposed to be able to detect and remove power from a series arc and a parallel one. Parallel being Hot to Neutral fault. Could be an EG because some no longer have GF detection. Series being a broken hot or neutral that is arcing at or above a certain level of current flow. Not the low current glowing connections we all, or at least me, original thought they were going to help with.
 
K8MHZ said:
Just picked up Homeline AFI/GFCI combo breakers at Home Depot. They claim to be series and parallel. I didn't see any GFCI only breakers. They were about $48.
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There is no such thing as a "combination" AFCI/GFCI breaker. A combination AFCI is designed to detect series and parallel arc faults. A Dual Function breaker has both combination AFCI and GFCI protection.
 
ptonsparky said:
The AFCIs used now are supposed to be able to detect and remove power from a series arc and a parallel one. Parallel being Hot to Neutral fault. Could be an EG because some no longer have GF detection. Series being a broken hot or cineutral that is arcing at or above a certain level of current flow. Not the low current glowing connections we all, or at least me, original thought they were going to help with.
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Much appreciated. I googled it to no avail.
 
K8MHZ said:
Just picked up Homeline AFI/GFCI combo breakers at Home Depot. They claim to be series and parallel. I didn't see any GFCI only breakers. They were about $48.
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Why the crossing over to the dark side? I thought they were not required in Michigan.
 
peter d said:
Why the crossing over to the dark side? I thought they were not required in Michigan.
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That's true for one and two family dwellings. I did wonder why HD didn't have the regular GFCI breakers, as there is a demand for them here. Maybe they were out of stock. I was in a hurry and it wasn't my money so I didn't try to track down the (now) clueless help. I am sure the new help doesn't know the difference. They used to have a licensed master working there, but no more.
 
K8MHZ said:
That's true for one and two family dwellings. I did wonder why HD didn't have the regular GFCI breakers, as there is a demand for them here. Maybe they were out of stock. I was in a hurry and it wasn't my money so I didn't try to track down the (now) clueless help. I am sure the new help doesn't know the difference. They used to have a licensed master working there, but no more.
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The clueless help didn't realize there were two different products involved and placed AFCI's where the GFCI's were to be displayed, there may be GFCI,s wherever they keep "overstock".
 
kwired said:
The clueless help didn't realize there were two different products involved and placed AFCI's where the GFCI's were to be displayed, there may be GFCI,s wherever they keep "overstock".
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Let's just say that their recent changes in policies have made them less of a threat, competition wise, to our local supply houses. At least one, anyway. Menard's help is clueless, too, but they seem to have more of a selection by quite a margin. You just have to know where the item is ahead of time.

I long for the days before the big box stores where not having an electrical item on a weekend was a valid excuse to get out of work that day.

:angel:
 
K8MHZ said:
Let's just say that their recent changes in policies have made them less of a threat, competition wise, to our local supply houses. At least one, anyway. Menard's help is clueless, too, but they seem to have more of a selection by quite a margin. You just have to know where the item is ahead of time.

I long for the days before the big box stores where not having an electrical item on a weekend was a valid excuse to get out of work that day.

:angel:
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I am more familiar with Menards as they have a store closer to me then HD or Lowes. They don't have a clue, you better know what you want, and might even want to open the package and make sure it has what you think is inside - they won't know if it is the wrong thing inside.

Not so much related, but my dad used to drive truck and hated it when they sent him to upper midwest - as they almost always sent him to Menards main warehouse for a return trip, he hated how they managed drivers at that place - and said most of the stores he had been to weren't much better other then it was on a smaller scale.
 
kwired said:
Are you by chance asking about the outlet type AFCI devices? I don't think those are combination type.

New AFCI circuit breakers have been combination type for quite a while now.
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Yes I'm.talking about afci devices as in a receptacle not a breaker
 
Read ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, then spread it around to anyone in the biz

You'll never see this in a trade rag, or hear it from manufacturers , because they don't want you to read it

~RJ~
 
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