USB/120V combination receptacles

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svemike

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When a customer wants me to replace an existing receptacle in a place where no Arc Fault breaker/receptacle is in place, my reading of the NEC should have to meet the NEC Arc Fault receptacle replacement rule. (406.4 (D) (4). But there are no combo USB/Arc Fault Receptacles sold. So now what? An Arc Fault receptacle at the first outlet or a AF Circuit breaker in the panel would provide AF protection to all parts of the circuit. But that is not the rule for receptacle replacement. It seems everyone that runs to the Home Center to get one of these USB devices is installing them contrary to the NEC, unless the house was built in the last 2-5 years, which presumably has Arc Fault protection throughout. Yet there is no mention of this issue in the product literature.
 
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svemike said:
When a customer wants me to replace an existing receptacle in a place where no Arc Fault breaker/receptacle is in place, my reading of the NEC should have to meet the NEC Arc Fault receptacle replacement rule. (406.4 (D) (4). But there are no combo USB/Arc Fault Receptacles sold. So now what? An Arc Fault receptacle at the first outlet or a AF Circuit breaker in the panel would provide AF protection to all parts of the circuit. But that is not the rule for receptacle replacement. It seems everyone that runs to the Home Center to get one of these USB devices is installing them contrary to the NEC, unless the house was built in the last 2-5 years, which presumably has Arc Fault protection throughout. Yet there is no mention of this issue in the product literature.
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So what? we lived without these monstrosities for who knows how many decades.
 
NEC 406.4(D) includes other dominos that topple, depending upon the location of the existing receptacle outlet. In addition to AFCI, there is also GFCI, tamper-resistance, weather-resistance and, not the least, an EGC (subject to exceptions).

Now, depending upon the manufacturer, the USB / receptacle may well have tamper-resistance, but all the rest. . . well, it gets challenging to be Code compliant.
 
jap said:
By deductive reasoning, you've answered your own question.
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-OR-
Assuming you are on the 2014 NEC, 210.12(B) is written where there are two "first receptacle outlets", where the first receptacle outlet is at the Overcurrent Protective Device, or, where a branch circuit is extended from an existing receptacle outlet. So adding a USB / receptacle extended from an existing receptacle outlet where the existing receptacle outlet is replaced with an Outlet Branch Circuit Arc Fault Receptacle.
 
svemike said:
When a customer wants me to replace an existing receptacle in a place where no Arc Fault breaker/receptacle is in place, my reading of the NEC should have to meet the NEC Arc Fault receptacle replacement rule. (406.4 (D) (4). But there are no combo USB/Arc Fault Receptacles sold. So now what? An Arc Fault receptacle at the first outlet or a AF Circuit breaker in the panel would provide AF protection to all parts of the circuit. But that is not the rule for receptacle replacement. It seems everyone that runs to the Home Center to get one of these USB devices is installing them contrary to the NEC, unless the house was built in the last 2-5 years, which presumably has Arc Fault protection throughout. Yet there is no mention of this issue in the product literature.
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Yes you've answered your own question. Here's in NJ we've removed this requirement from the code. From a safety perspective what's better a broken receptacle or a new one without AFCI protection?
 
svemike said:
When a customer wants me to replace an existing receptacle in a place where no Arc Fault breaker/receptacle is in place, my reading of the NEC should have to meet the NEC Arc Fault receptacle replacement rule. (406.4 (D) (4). But there are no combo USB/Arc Fault Receptacles sold. So now what? An Arc Fault receptacle at the first outlet or a AF Circuit breaker in the panel would provide AF protection to all parts of the circuit. But that is not the rule for receptacle replacement. It seems everyone that runs to the Home Center to get one of these USB devices is installing them contrary to the NEC, unless the house was built in the last 2-5 years, which presumably has Arc Fault protection throughout. Yet there is no mention of this issue in the product literature.
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I bet there is even more "standard duplexes" being installed as replacements then there is ones with USB ports on them - and they aren't TR type either.

If you want to be code compliant - AFCI breaker or AFCI receptacle upstream - if you want the USB device at the "first outlet" in the circuit - you probably need to cut in a two gang box or make a surface extension and put in both the AFCI and the USB containing device.

I have never installed an AFCI receptacle. Not too many times where they would be an option that I have to get inspected.
 
Wait a minute?

I thought replacing a receptacle is grandfathered? If the old unit was not AFCI, why would the replacement need to be? Now of course there are NEC issues replacing 2 wire receptacles but who requires any new replacement receptacles to be AFCI?

In my AHJ, even putting in a room addition attached to existing circuits is exempt from AFCI. Only a new branch circuit requires current code compliance.
 
Andy Delle said:
Wait a minute?

I thought replacing a receptacle is grandfathered? If the old unit was not AFCI, why would the replacement need to be? Now of course there are NEC issues replacing 2 wire receptacles but who requires any new replacement receptacles to be AFCI?

In my AHJ, even putting in a room addition attached to existing circuits is exempt from AFCI. Only a new branch circuit requires current code compliance.
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See 406.4(D)(4)
 
Andy Delle said:
Wait a minute?

I thought replacing a receptacle is grandfathered?
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Your profile says you are under the 2008 NEC. The change first shows up in the 2014 NEC in the rule others have posted, 406.4(D)(4). Various jurisdictions have modified, removed or amended the NEC, including California and LA. So, you have to look to your local ordinances.
 
gadfly56 said:
This is doubling down on stupid, and basically requiring compliant installations to be updated to the current code, which used to be a no-no.
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I agree, yet we also need to provide GFCI where current codes require it when changing non GFCI protected receptacles - most think that is a good rule:angel:
 
gadfly56 said:
This is doubling down on stupid, and basically requiring compliant installations to be updated to the current code, which used to be a no-no.
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Somebody recently compared this to requiring a 70's era car to be brought up to 2018 specs to be issued a state inspection, whereas just the opposite is true... Older vehicles are often granted an antique license tag and are exempt from further state inspections. Why it is different for electrical systems, I have no idea.

Thankfully Virginia is still mostly exempt or behind the code when it comes to afci requirements.
 
al hildenbrand said:
Your profile says you are under the 2008 NEC. The change first shows up in the 2014 NEC in the rule others have posted, 406.4(D)(4). Various jurisdictions have modified, removed or amended the NEC, including California and LA. So, you have to look to your local ordinances.
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So in 2014 NEC, if one pulls a permit to replace a worn out receptacle, it must be replaced with an AFCI? At what $30?

This is an area I could see getting congressional involvement. Forcing a consumer to bear a cost increase on that scale.

The truth is who ever pulls a permit for device replacement?
 
Andy Delle said:
So in 2014 NEC, if one pulls a permit to replace a worn out receptacle, it must be replaced with an AFCI? At what $30?

This is an area I could see getting congressional involvement. Forcing a consumer to bear a cost increase on that scale.

The truth is who ever pulls a permit for device replacement?
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In NJ you would not need to pull a permit to do a like-for-like replacement of a receptacle.
 
Andy Delle said:
The truth is who ever pulls a permit for device replacement?
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The metropolitan area I'm in will have a dwelling's repairs closely tied to the transfer of ownership most (not all) of the time. The document trail (and backing insurances) of permit and inspection is "de rigueur" for all the legal entities party to the realty ownership transfer.

A common dwelling-related petty correction is the repair of existing damaged, or mis-wired, receptacle outlets. Here, the State of Minnesota is under the 2017 NEC and 406.4(D) attaches every time.

Now, considering your consternation, consider the replacement of the lowly two-wire non-grounding type receptacle device supplied by a non-grounding wiring method (such as Knob & Tube, or two-wire NM without EGC). Historically it has been feasible to simply replace with a new two-wire non-grounding type receptacle device . . . but with the advent of 2014 NEC 406.4(D)(4), which has NO exceptions, the game has changed, in my opinion.

I have found the lowest cost way to handle replacement of an existing non-grounding type receptacle device (where there is no EGC available) is to use a Dual Function (AFCI / GFCI) Outlet Branch Circuit receptacle device, and to label it "No Equipment Ground"
 
JFletcher said:
Somebody recently compared this to requiring a 70's era car to be brought up to 2018 specs to be issued a state inspection, whereas just the opposite is true... Older vehicles are often granted an antique license tag and are exempt from further state inspections. Why it is different for electrical systems, I have no idea.
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Don't worry, some of us still operate under that philosophy. :happyyes:;)
 
Andy Delle said:
So in 2014 NEC, if one pulls a permit to replace a worn out receptacle, it must be replaced with an AFCI? At what $30?

This is an area I could see getting congressional involvement. Forcing a consumer to bear a cost increase on that scale.

The truth is who ever pulls a permit for device replacement?
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The answer is nobody in my area does unless the work is tied to some bigger project. But replacing a few broken receptacles in a house? :lol::lol::lol:
 
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