Is it time to widen resi. panel?

[kwired]

Instead of widening panels to 20", I vote to delete AFCIs. :lol:

(I'm surprised no one has mentioned that yet)

Not as much complaining about them lately, people must just figure they need to get used to them like it or not.

Got first AFCI related service call yesterday on a house I recently wired. Two screw cable clamp a little too tight (seriously, wasn't smashed at tight as it can go, just a little too tight) and was creating a ground fault within.

 

[JFletcher]

Not as much complaining about them lately, people must just figure they need to get used to them like it or not.

Got first AFCI related service call yesterday on a house I recently wired. Two screw cable clamp a little too tight (seriously, wasn't smashed at tight as it can go, just a little too tight) and was creating a ground fault within.

How in the world did you find that? Was the insulation damaged inside the clamp? If there was even the thinnest amount of insulation between the wires, it should have been enough to prevent a fault.

 

[kwired]

How in the world did you find that? Was the insulation damaged inside the clamp? If there was even the thinnest amount of insulation between the wires, it should have been enough to prevent a fault.

Ohm meter said ground fault was between first outlet and panel. Home run was probably only 10-15 feet total, and mostly exposed in unfinished basement, no signs of damages last 4 feet or so went up wall to kitchen counter outlet. Clamp in the panel however looked like maybe just a little tight, loosened it up and ground fault went away. Didn't even look any further, just left it loose. I know where to look if they call me back, but I bet it will be fine.

Might be back anyway, he said the refrigerator tripped at one point also. Self test of Homeline AFCI says it tripped on AFCI function:blink:

We will wait and see if it keeps doing that or if it was just a one time thing.