Arcfault furnace circuit ?

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Stevenfyeager said:
Hi, KY adopted 2014 NEC, every room in a house has to be either AFCI or GFCI. Does this include the 120 volt gas furnace circuit ? Thank you.
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Every room needing to be AFCI or GFCI isn't exactly true, though most of the time it seems like you can use that logic.

2014 needs AFCI for just about every room in a dwelling, some exceptions are unfinished basements, garages, outdoor outlets. Receptacles in many of those exception areas usually require GFCI but non receptacle outlets wouldn't require GFCI, primarily lighting or hard wired appliances.

If the furnace were in a room that otherwise requires AFCI then the furnace also would require AFCI if supplied by a 15 or 20 amp 120 volt branch circuit.

Other codes possibly do not allow a furnace in such rooms either though.
 
In my area we typically see a additional furnace switch installed outside of the furnace area, regardless of fuel type. Its just normal practice. Typically at the top of the basement stairs or outside of a furnace room.

The one place I see a potential issue is with a finished basement and the switch for the furnace installed outside the furnace room in a finished "playroom" area.

With the switch (device) installed in this type of area arc fault protection would be required.

The change with adding the term "device" can have potential big impacts.

Joe Villani
 
Joe Villani said:
In my area we typically see a additional furnace switch installed outside of the furnace area, regardless of fuel type. Its just normal practice. Typically at the top of the basement stairs or outside of a furnace room.

The one place I see a potential issue is with a finished basement and the switch for the furnace installed outside the furnace room in a finished "playroom" area.

With the switch (device) installed in this type of area arc fault protection would be required.

The change with adding the term "device" can have potential big impacts.

Joe Villani
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And I believe in 2017 that won't be an issue. Garage, bathroom, and outside are about all that will be exempt from AFCI from what I know of so far.
 
kwired said:
And I believe in 2017 that won't be an issue. Garage, bathroom, and outside are about all that will be exempt from AFCI from what I know of so far.
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With respect to 2017 NEC 210.12(A): Unfinished areas of a dwelling aren't limited to the basement. They would also include attic spaces, crawl spaces, mechanical areas, any outbuilding (with the exception of an outbuilding that is an actual dwelling). This is essentially identical to the 2014 NEC 210.12(A).

A common point of discussion has to do with the definition of "closet" and whether a forced air furnace might be in a closet.
 
al hildenbrand said:
With respect to 2017 NEC 210.12(A): Unfinished areas of a dwelling aren't limited to the basement. They would also include attic spaces, crawl spaces, mechanical areas, any outbuilding (with the exception of an outbuilding that is an actual dwelling). This is essentially identical to the 2014 NEC 210.12(A).

A common point of discussion has to do with the definition of "closet" and whether a forced air furnace might be in a closet.
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IMO a "closet" dedicated to housing the furnace, is a mechanical room. If it is large enough to also be considered a place for storage - that may change things.

Good point that unfinished areas aren't limited to the basement - but most of the time GFCI protection requirements is what refers to unfinished basement, unfinished areas are not covered by 210.12 simply because they are not specifically mentioned. One common area that is sometimes unfinished is the laundry area which will require AFCI, but where to define the borders of that laundry area may not be so clear.
 
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