Hi folks,
OK, electrical question for you…
The NEC article 210-12 spells out the need for AFCI protection in bedroom circuits. Here is the question.
If you plug an appliance (vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, etc) into an outlet protected by an AFCI breaker and the appliance is already turned ON, will that arc that occurs from the plug terminal to the receptacle be sufficient to trip the breaker and SHOULD it trip the breaker?
I don’t have any AFCIs on my home but this question has come up among a few of us and we are debating it.
Thanks
Mike
Replies
Re: "will that arc that occurs from the plug terminal to the receptacle be sufficient to trip the breaker and SHOULD it trip the breaker?"
No, and no.
It is a matter of time and intensity. A cord cap is usually inserted in a small fraction of a second. If you were to take your time or play with it teasing a considerable amount of arcing out of it I think, I may have to give it a try, that you could get the AFCI to trip and it would be correct, best, if it was sensitive to this sort of extensive arcing.
Edited to add last block above.
Looking back I realized this answer is somewhat less than illuminating.
Edited 3/6/2004 12:46:24 AM ET by 4Lorn1