Replacement Receptacles 2011 NEC

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Jon Nelson

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Effective Janurary 1st 2014 all replacement receptacles will now have to be AFCI protected in all existing homes. I wonder how jurisdictions will enforce this? Permits required? Now you have to be a licensed electrician to to replace a receptacle. Just wanted to stir the pot a bit. Ha! Ha! What do you all think!
 
Jon Nelson said:
Effective Janurary 1st 2014 all replacement receptacles will now have to be AFCI protected in all existing homes. I wonder how jurisdictions will enforce this? Permits required? Now you have to be a licensed electrician to to replace a receptacle. Just wanted to stir the pot a bit. Ha! Ha! What do you all think!
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I have never gotten a permit to replace a receptacle and the inspectors around here don't want to be bothered with it either.
 
This is another one of those rules that will be used by the lawyers to sue someone after the fact. When/if someone gets hurt or there is a fire and it is determined that a receptacle was replaced with a non-AFCI, the person that replaced the receptacle may be liable. It is the same for the "rule" that says a vending machine built before 2005 MUST be plugged into a GFCI protected receptacle. How do you control what is plugged into a receptacle that was installed 20 years ago? Who is liable? The electrician that installed the receptacle and had no idea that a vending machine would be plugged in? The person that delivers the vending machine? The person that stocks the vending machine? The person that decided "that would be a good place for a vending machine, there is even an existing receptacle we can use?" Bottom line; it is just an unenforceable rule with which the lawyers will have a field day!
 
Jon Nelson said:
Effective Janurary 1st 2014 all replacement receptacles will now have to be AFCI protected in all existing homes. I wonder how jurisdictions will enforce this? Permits required? Now you have to be a licensed electrician to to replace a receptacle. Just wanted to stir the pot a bit. Ha! Ha! What do you all think!
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where are you seeing this requirement? It's the first time that I have heard of this, is this just in your state or local area? I am curious to know, thanks.
edit, I see this now in art. 406, thanks for bringing it to my attention
 
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elohr46 said:
I see this now in art. 406, thanks for bringing it to my attention
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It's an interesting change. I'm curious to see how the device manufacturers handle this. One instructor at a continuing ed class I just attended said device manufacturers had be holding off developing the receptacle AFCI by saying they weren't overcurrent protective device manufacturers.

I suspect some device manufacturers will develop their own AFCI, resulting in the number of proprietary solutions to the grand AFCI concept increasing, and, as a result, the troubleshooting electrician will have more to deal with.
 
Jon Nelson said:
Effective Janurary 1st 2014 all replacement receptacles will now have to be AFCI protected in all existing homes. Ha! Ha! What do you all think!
Click to expand...

From what I hear the world is supposed to end in 2012 so I'm not going to worry about anything past that date, well not until 2013 anyway. :roll:
 
growler said:
From what I hear the world is supposed to end in 2012 so I'm not going to worry about anything past that date, well not until 2013 anyway. :roll:
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Judgment Day
May 21, 2011

The End of the World
October 21, 2011

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Have seen these dates on billboards around town.......
 
did I understand this correctly that the new code requires replacments in older installation to now be afci protected? What id the panel is a zinsco or fed pacific then what?
 
stew said:
did I understand this correctly that the new code requires replacments in older installation to now be afci protected? What id the panel is a zinsco or fed pacific then what?
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Not quite. Here is the new code on afci replacements


(4) Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. Where a receptacle outlet is supplied by a branch circuit that requires arc-fault circuit interrupter protection as specified elsewhere in this Code, a replacement receptacle at this outlet shall be one of the following:
(1) A listed outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter receptacle
(2) A receptacle protected by a listed outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter type receptacle
(3) A receptacle protected by a listed combination type arc-fault circuit interrupter type circuit breaker
This requirement becomes effective January 1, 2014.
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Up to this point, we have not been required to add AFCI protection on existing circuits, i.e. after panel change outs or circuit extension. But we are still in the 2002
 
My objection to such a requirement is that it is an attempt by this code to determine what will be required by the next code.

It's well established that legislative bodies - such as Congress - are not allowed to 'bind' future assemblies. I see no reason for the NFPA to not follow this principle. For all we know, the next code panel will vote to outlaw electricity :D
 
al hildenbrand said:
... One instructor at a continuing ed class I just attended said device manufacturers had be holding off developing the receptacle AFCI by saying they weren't overcurrent protective device manufacturers. ...
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There was a UL rep at a class I attended and he said that one device manufacturer has a listing completed at this time and a second is close.
 
renosteinke said:
My objection to such a requirement is that it is an attempt by this code to determine what will be required by the next code.

It's well established that legislative bodies - such as Congress - are not allowed to 'bind' future assemblies. I see no reason for the NFPA to not follow this principle. For all we know, the next code panel will vote to outlaw electricity :D
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This was done with AFCI' in the beggining. I think the 2002 code said this similarly. " that by 2003 AFCI's would be required for bedroom outlets." this sort of put a bind on states that make their own code by simply incorperating the NEC.
 
renosteinke said:
My objection to such a requirement is that it is an attempt by this code to determine what will be required by the next code.
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The next adopted edition of the NEC always superseded the previous version in entirety, so 2014 will preempt all portions of the 2011 edition.

However not all jurisdictions adopter each new code edition, by putting a future start date into the 2011 NEC, they are not binding future editions, but rather implementing a delayed start date for a specific requirement for whichever locations remain on the 2011 edition.
 
hmmm seems to me that existing branch circuits are not required to be afci protected,therefore the replacement receptacle installed on these circuits would not need to be protected either. If you ADD a receptacle then yes I agree it has to be protected. Replaced, no IMHO.
 
al hildenbrand said:
It's an interesting change. I'm curious to see how the device manufacturers handle this. . . . .
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unless the requirement to be 6' from the overcurrent device and in conduit is removed, its highly unlikely you will see AFCI receptacles.


Jon Nelson said:
Now you have to be a licensed electrician to to replace a receptacle. . . .
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If you are in the business of changing the receptacles, then yes, you should absolutely be licensed to perform the work (or working for a licensed electrical contractor, whatever rules apply in your state).
 
brantmacga said:
unless the requirement to be 6' from the overcurrent device and in conduit is removed, its highly unlikely you will see AFCI receptacles.
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Actually, its highly likely we will see AFCI receptacles. This thread is about the new 2011 NEC 406.4(D)(4). Check it out.
2011 NEC

406.4 General Installation Requirements. Receptacle outlets shall be located in branch circuits in accordance with Part III of Article 210. General installation requirements shall be in accordance with 406.4(A) through (F).
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(D) Replacements. Replacement of receptacles shall comply with 406.4(D)(1) through (D)(6), as applicable.
.
(4) Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. Where a receptacle outlet is supplied by a branch circuit that requires arc-fault circuit interrupter protection as specified elsewhere in this Code, a replacement receptacle at this outlet shall be one of the following:
(1) A listed outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter receptacle
(2) A receptacle protected by a listed outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter type receptacle
(3) A receptacle protected by a listed combination type arc-fault circuit interrupter type circuit breaker
​
This requirement becomes effective January 1, 2014.
Click to expand...
 
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