Arc Fault will not trip.

[mbrooke]

And he isn't, but how common would it be for such conditions normally occur and why would we need to sense that condition?

I know My exact question. Arcing of any kind is usually the end stage of a glowing connection. And look here, they twist series arcing into carbonation, which supposedly the 4 volt drop across the glowing splice then tracks across the carbonized path arcing away. Unless the mean the other conductors... a bit far fetched:


http://www.electrical-installation.org/enwiki/Arc_Fault_Detection_Devices_(AFDD)

 

[JFletcher]

One feature that will be very hard to reproduce will maintaining a *constant* current of more than 5A despite the arc. That is the combination that should trigger series arc detection, not an intermittent arc with a peak current above 5A.
And, as has been stated umpteen times already, you cannot sustain such an arc in air with only 120V AC to work with.
It might be easier, but a lot more dangerous, to get more than 75 A of parallel arc at home.

Receptacle before the test one with a hair dryer or a few 300/500W work lamps plugged into it.

AFCI cannot be field tested like this, which is total **. The test button is the only way to check it.

 

[romex jockey]

It's apparently fairly easy to buffalo the average spark on laws of electrical physics

When one of us tries the series field test , we're met with arc related questions.

It wasn't this, or that, or the other thing, and so it didn't trip.

Contact the manufactures , and you'll get Paid for responses

Arcing is a well known phenomenon that can be described
by Paschen’s Law in most circumstances [5]. Two
of the most important factors Paschen investigated in relation
to the breakdown voltage needed to generate an arc were gas
pressure and the gap distance between the electrodes. Some
have found this empirical evaluation to be reflective of a
very controlled environment. An alternating current (AC)
environment has proven to depart significantly from
Paschen’s empirical analysis.

Pay me enough $$$, and pigs will>>

~RJ~

 

[mbrooke]

The key is how UL1699 defines arcing. The definition departs from paschens, since emission of light and volitization of electrodes is enough to call something an arc. Molten globules of copper are not air encountering dielectric breakdown...

 

[romex jockey]

You'll find those globules , essentially glowing connections, construed as mini-arc events in manufacturers dissertations Mr MBrooke.

They are changing cannon here

~RJ~

 

[George Stolz]

In the video below we took an arc fault breaker and simulated an arc at a receptacle. We were unable to get it to trip.

I'll give you $40 for it.

 

[romex jockey]

smoke, mirrors....

smoke, mirrors....

Like this?

One of the Utube comments >>>

@fusboywon, is the AFCI testing equipment shown in the video available for purchase from Eaton?

The answer would be no, because the guts most likely look like the UL KV simulator>

~RJ~

 

[mbrooke]

15,000 volts? :happyno: