Strange issues with arc fault tripping

[crtemp]

I have a customer that has called and said that whenever he uses any appliance in his kitchen
(small appliance branch circuit) it trips the master bedroom arc fault. Could it be a coincidence, or the breaker going bad? I don't see how any other circuit could effect a arc fault breaker.
Thanks

 

[GoldDigger]

I have a customer that has called and said that whenever he uses any appliance in his kitchen
(small appliance branch circuit) it trips the master bedroom arc fault. Could it be a coincidence, or the breaker going bad? I don't see how any other circuit could effect a arc fault breaker.
Thanks

It could trip the GFCI portion of the breaker if the neutral wiring is incorrect or the kitchen and bedroom circuits are part of one MWBC.
If that is the case, then even a resistive load like a portable incandescent lamp will trip it.

 

[Sierrasparky]

If its repeatable then you have a starting point. Fantom tripping can be a nightmare.

Is the kitchen wiring near the bedroom wiring?
Could the micro install shorted a wire?
Use a extension cord on the micro does this repeat.
use a extenstion cord on the micro circuit and power something up like a 500w halogen. Try the vac or another motor.
Does the Bed circuit trip with nothing powerd

Give it a whirl.

 

[crtemp]

I haven't been to the job yet I'm just going off of what the homeowner has told me over the phone. I'm going tomorrow to troubleshoot it. The arc fault that is tripping is a 14-2 wire home run to the master bedroom. The 2 small appliance branch circuits home runs are a 12-3 that does the kitchen plugs on 1 leg and the micro hood on the other leg, and a 12-3 that does the kitchen plugs on one leg and the dishwasher on the other. The wiring is over a year old and he claims it only happens when using the toaster or blender or some other corded appliance.

I've had homeowners claim things are happening that aren't even possible before so who knows. I have a feeling it's just a bad breaker that is randomly tripping and it just happens to be when he is using appliances. I was just wondering if anyone ever heard of such a thing. Never know with these arc fault breakers.

 

[edlee]

I was just wondering if anyone ever heard of such a thing. Never know with these arc fault breakers.

I had a weird arc-fault problem a while back. We rewired the upstairs (3 bedrooms, one bath) of an old house. We installed a couple of AFCI breakers for the bedrooms and smoke detectors, all new wiring.

There was an existing dryer circuit in a 50a subpanel a little ways away, and when the dryer reached a certain point in it's cycle, one of the new AF breakers in the main panel would shut off. It didn't make any sense.

Ultimately I pulled the dryer receptacle apart, tightened the connections, and the problem stopped.

Still doesn't make any sense to me!

 

[crtemp]

I think the homeowner just thought the kitchen outlets were making the arc fault trip. After I replaced the breaker he could not re-create the arc fault to trip. Problem solved.