ARC FAULT TRIPS

[imkrazy49@hotmail.com]

HAD TO ADD BEDROOM RECEPTACLES TO OLD HOUSE -WENT FROM ROMEX TO JUNCTION BOX IN CELLAR TO THHN THRU CONDUIT TO ATTIC AND BACK TO ROMEX - ALL WIRES IN ATTIC WERE RUN THRU BORED HOLES AND WIRES WERE FISHED DOWN WALL SO STAPLING WAS MINIMUM - ABOUT 8 RECEPTACLES WERE INSTALLED AND 12/4 WIRE WAS RUN FOR FEED - EVERYTIME SOMETHING IS PLUGGED IN THE BREAKER TRIPS - ANY IDEAS??? WHY

 

[tom baker]

Re: ARC FAULT TRIPS

The majority of AFCI trips are due to a grounded neutral. An AFCI has a built in 30 ma or so GF circuit, the same as an GFCI, but not class A Look for an inadvertant neutral to ground connection somewhere. Its similar to when GFCi's became popular, we all had a lot of inadvertant neutral to ground connections....causing GFCI trips.

 

[hurk27]

Re: ARC FAULT TRIPS

I notice you said that you used 12/4 romex for the feed to 8 receptacle's ? This means you would have 2 neutrals and two hots and one ground. or did you mean to say 12/3 with ground. one of two other things to also to check for is if you did run 12/4 make sure you didnt cross which hot and neutral pair you tied to one breaker. the other thing is if you used 12/3 with ground, then you have a shared neutral. this is a no-no for single pole AFCI's. You will eather have to run another feed or locate a two-pole AFCI that will be listed for use in your panel. all three of these situations will cause the symtoms you discribed.