AFCIs popping all the time- false positives or real arc faults
I have a dishwasher on a dedicated AFCI protected circuit, which popped once or twice a week. Since AFCIs are known for false positives I replaced it. The new one still pops a lot, although not as often. I haven’t crawled under the sink to check out the receptacle, which is split- one side for the dishwasher, the other switched for the disposal- gotta do that.
My question is whether there’s any reasonable way to check out the performance of the AFCIs-are they throwing false positives? Or, is there really an arc fault somewhere in the circuit? Or does the dishwasher have electrical characteristics that fool the AFCI into thinking it’s detected an arc fault? It’s tempting to toss the AFCI and install a standard breaker, but…
FWIW, I had a similar problem with another circuit (lighting as I remember) and a new AFCI solved the problem.
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When they first became required, bath exhaust fans would trip them.
I’d remove, but not without a disclaimer..........
I’m just a dumb carpenter, consult a good electrician.
And retired, so I’m set in my ways.
Calvin,
I'm a retired engineer, so I got you beat- I'm set in my ways AND convinced I'm right.
Hadn't heard about the bath fan thing, but that's an example of my concern about the DW fooling the AFCI.
FWIW, the AFCIs are QO style from Schneider.
I'm even less qualified, but why would you have your dishwasher on an ark fault breaker and not on a ground fault breaker. Same for exhaust fans. I thought most all motors were subject to arching
Arc fault breakers are for for bedrooms etc., not equipment, kitchens and baths.
Now you can explain to me how stupid I am and that I must not have even understood the question.
I was told by an inspector in aught-16 that the code that would take effect the next year required AFCIs on all 120v circuits EXCEPT ground fault protected circuits and dedicated circuits.
The 8th edition of CodeCheck (Hansen, Kardon, Walker) says areas requiring AFCI protecton include all 120V, 1A & 20A branch circuits supplying outlets or devices in...kitchens...
The rewiring job was the result of a significant fire (gut to the studs) that the fire department says was caused by an electrical problem ( "something heavy sitting on an extension cord" ) so I'm kinda sensitive about things like arc faults. I'm pretty sure my problems are the result of overly sensitive AFCIs and and an electrically noisy DW, but I'd like to be more than "pretty sure."