Heat tape and AFCI

[Fred B]

Got customer that need GFCI for crawl space that has a heat tape plugged in under there. Can't currently get a strictly GFCI breaker, a duel rated AFCI/GFCI is. He doesn't want put in a GFCI receptacle and to have to crawl underneath if it happens to trip. Question is: Will a heat tape operating properly and in good condition trip the AFCI? I don't see why it would, but would like input.

 

[tom baker]

Heat tape needs gfci, crawl sp recptl must be gfci. Put recp gfci outside crawl space and then feed recptl on load side.
Can't answer about afci.

 

[ptonsparky]

I don’t see why heat tape would trip an AFCI as long as the thermostat doesn’t stutter when switching. If AFCI/GFCI is all you have and a device isn’t easily workable, use it.