Sam Houston

[Sam Houston]

I have had a couple of Arc Fault issues. 2 different locations.
1. New 3 unit apartment building. Arc Faults, Dual Faults to NEC. Everything working fine until someone moves in. Older lady, has a TV with a transformer/power supply unit, and 2 power assist chairs,(help older people get out of their chair with a electric lift mechanism), these also have transformer/power supply units. When one of these, doesn't matter which one is unplugged and plugged into another circuit,(also arc fault protected) with an extension cord to an adjacent bedroom, the nuisance tripping goes away. Do not do stab in connections. Removed all devices and everything works fine. Hang around for 30 minutes and operate the stuff , doesn't trip. Leave to get lunch, come back still not tripped. Think it's fixed, although didn't find anything. Get a call the next day still doing it. Call Square D, (using QO breakers), they tell me to call the chair manufacturer and tv manufacter and tell them what is happening. Didn't try that. Not likely they will speak english and I don't know foreign languages.
2. Large addition, new service, disconnect approx. 100 Ft from house. 4 wire to house panels. Arc faults, dual faults to code. Dual faults in kitchen area. Everything works fine during construction. Older couple own it. Second home. Not sure if refrigerator is stocked or not, but they don't live there. Everything seems to work fine for extended periods of time. Comes back one day and large part of the house is dead. All of the arc fault breakers on ones side of the panel are tripped. About 12 or so. Square D QO style. They are all adjacent to each other. Have been having some thunderstorms, and have had issues with GFI's tripping due to close lightning events over the years, but this even so think of all the meat and food that could be lost in a situation like this. I know I don't do everything right, but I don't think that arc faults are ready for the market yet. I have had a lot of various issues from tripping with 3 way switches, (never single poles), to whenever you are running a sweeper and turn it off it would trip. Anyone else out there having issues like this?

 

[JFletcher]

I have had a couple of Arc Fault issues. 2 different locations.
1. New 3 unit apartment building. Arc Faults, Dual Faults to NEC. Everything working fine until someone moves in. Older lady, has a TV with a transformer/power supply unit, and 2 power assist chairs,(help older people get out of their chair with a electric lift mechanism), these also have transformer/power supply units. When one of these, doesn't matter which one is unplugged and plugged into another circuit,(also arc fault protected) with an extension cord to an adjacent bedroom, the nuisance tripping goes away. Do not do stab in connections. Removed all devices and everything works fine. Hang around for 30 minutes and operate the stuff , doesn't trip. Leave to get lunch, come back still not tripped. Think it's fixed, although didn't find anything. Get a call the next day still doing it. Call Square D, (using QO breakers), they tell me to call the chair manufacturer and tv manufacter and tell them what is happening. Didn't try that. Not likely they will speak english and I don't know foreign languages.
2. Large addition, new service, disconnect approx. 100 Ft from house. 4 wire to house panels. Arc faults, dual faults to code. Dual faults in kitchen area. Everything works fine during construction. Older couple own it. Second home. Not sure if refrigerator is stocked or not, but they don't live there. Everything seems to work fine for extended periods of time. Comes back one day and large part of the house is dead. All of the arc fault breakers on ones side of the panel are tripped. About 12 or so. Square D QO style. They are all adjacent to each other. Have been having some thunderstorms, and have had issues with GFI's tripping due to close lightning events over the years, but this even so think of all the meat and food that could be lost in a situation like this. I know I don't do everything right, but I don't think that arc faults are ready for the market yet. I have had a lot of various issues from tripping with 3 way switches, (never single poles), to whenever you are running a sweeper and turn it off it would trip. Anyone else out there having issues like this?

Welcome to the forum.

1st case, I think replacing the offending breaker may be the easiest 'solution'.

2nd case, I have seen a YouTube video of short wave radio at certain frequencies cause all AFCI breakers in the panel to immediately trip. I dont remember the breaker brand, but I havent heard of any other phenomena causing mass AFCI tripping.

You are far from the only person who thinks AFCI breakers need more R&D from the mfg's.

A few years ago, we had a call for a vac tripping the breaker. AFCI. Ran in on 3 other AFCI circuits, it never tripped. Replaced the breaker, it worked fine on that circuit then. No idea what was really the culprit, assumed it was a sensitive AFCI breaker.

 

[Sierrasparky]

Have not had these issues with new homes Yet!
Have had many issues with remodel or additions. Many times found loose wire or nail through the old wiring.
Try using a GFCI breaker, if it trips then you have a ground fault somewhere.
You might want to get one of those AFCI testers.

 

[mopowr steve]

Have not had these issues with new homes Yet!
Have had many issues with remodel or additions. Many times found loose wire or nail through the old wiring.
Try using a GFCI breaker, if it trips then you have a ground fault somewhere.
You might want to get one of those AFCI testers.

If you've been doing new homes for a while, I would venture to say your customers aren't calling you back when they have issues with their arc faults. Respectfully.