hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
I have been holding back on this after the first few problems showed up but now we been having many call backs when a home owner places there computer in bedrooms or install a surge protector on the TV.
So far it's been the N-G or H-G protection in these that have been causing the problems and I have duplicated this problem in my own house to make sure it is a real problem.
Here's what I found so far that is causing nuisance tripping of the AFCI's
When the home owner uses a vacuum cleaner or a hair dryer and switch's it off a spike is produced this spike hit's the MOV in the surge protector and cause a current spike on the H-G MOV this cause's an imbalance between the hot and neutral in the AFCI and the resultant nuisance tripping of it. The only way I have to prove this is because one home owner said the problem went away when he used a grounding adapter on the surge protector unit. This kind of set me back for a home owner to know this? then I found out he is a electrical engineer up in Chicago. He also agree's that this is not the answer to the problem as we all must be able to use TVSS system on bedroom circuits.
Has anyone else had this problem?
As with AFCI going to be Incorporated into more and more of the house circuits in the future I hope there is a solution. One would be that manufactures to quit using H-G and N-G MOV's and just protect between the hot and neutral but is that the best answer?
So far it's been the N-G or H-G protection in these that have been causing the problems and I have duplicated this problem in my own house to make sure it is a real problem.
Here's what I found so far that is causing nuisance tripping of the AFCI's
When the home owner uses a vacuum cleaner or a hair dryer and switch's it off a spike is produced this spike hit's the MOV in the surge protector and cause a current spike on the H-G MOV this cause's an imbalance between the hot and neutral in the AFCI and the resultant nuisance tripping of it. The only way I have to prove this is because one home owner said the problem went away when he used a grounding adapter on the surge protector unit. This kind of set me back for a home owner to know this? then I found out he is a electrical engineer up in Chicago. He also agree's that this is not the answer to the problem as we all must be able to use TVSS system on bedroom circuits.
Has anyone else had this problem?
As with AFCI going to be Incorporated into more and more of the house circuits in the future I hope there is a solution. One would be that manufactures to quit using H-G and N-G MOV's and just protect between the hot and neutral but is that the best answer?