Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) AFCI)

Residential electrical fires occur around 70,000 times a year. A significant portion of these fires can be attributed to arc faults. An arc fault is the flow of electricity over an unintended path. These arcs can exceed temperatures of 10,000° F and easily ignite combustible materials in the home. AFCIs are devices that protect your home by detecting dangerous arcs and safely de-energizing the circuit. Arc faults arise from a number of situations, including: • Damaged wires
• Receptacle leakage
• Neutral leads pinched to grounded metal box
• Worn electrical insulation
• Loose electrical connections
• Shorted wires
• Wires or cords in contact with vibrating metal
• Overheated or stressed electrical cords and wires
• Misapplied/damaged appliances
Branch/Feeder AFCI
A Branch/Feeder AFCI has the ability to detect and neutralize a parallel arc fault, which is the unintentional flow of electricity between two separate wires. There are three types of parallel arc faults: line-to-line, line-to-ground, and line-to-neutral. The Branch/Feeder AFCI is permitted by the 1999-2005 NEC® Code.
Combination AFCI
GE's Combination AFCI delivers 5 kinds of protection:
1-Parallel protection – Just like its Branch/Feeder counterpart, Combination AFCI can detect and neutralize parallel arc faults
2-Series Protection – A series arc fault is the unintended flow of electricity over a gap within a single wire. These arc faults were not detectable until advanced technology allowed the development of the Combination AFCI breaker.
3-Ground protection – Arcing between a single conductor and a ground line
4-Overload protection
5-Short circuit protection
The Combination AFCI represents advancement in technology and home protection. The 2008 NEC® Code mandates that all dwelling areas in the home have Combination AFCI protection:
• Bedroom
• Living room
• Dining room
• Sun room
• Hallway
• Closet
• Finished basement
• Rec room