This article was posted 07/16/2013 and is most likely outdated.
Mike Holt - Help Us Help You with AFCI issues
Help us Help You with AFCI Issues
Help us Help You with AFCI Issues
A lot of contractors and electricians have recently had complaints and issues with current AFCI breakers in equipment such as fans, dimmers, treadmills, etc.
If there is a definitive list of known problems, we’d like to make it available to you.
Please give us feedback from your experience, by posting your comment at the end of this newsletter on any problems that you have encountered. Be as specific as you can regarding:
i just replaced a AFCI with a CAFI 15 amp QO breaker that was tripping every few days and sometimes a week.i will see what happens to that. the funny thing is that the house has 2 non-working afci breakers, and when i tried the CAFI on another room it tripped a second after i turned i on. maybe that's why they put bad afci breakers in the first place. what's my next step?
I was sent to install a dedicated circuit in a bed room, for a woman with a serious skin condition. The Dr. had prescribed a tanning bed. The combination arc fault breaker would not hold, but the original type arc fault breaker would. This was done before the last code cycle, and the building was originally wired with the original style homeline arc fault breakers.
Arch faults are more sensitive and have no forgiveness, that is why most electricians don't like them. i have had problems with some of the cheaper builders grade fans, and if a home owner over loads the circuit with electronics, the arch fault does not like the eddy currents produced. for the most part i have not had that many problems with the square d home line. knock on wood.
I do note believe that Arc fault breakers are anything but a waste. After fifty or so years of doing electrical repairs I just don't see a need nor do I think arcs are causing fires or problems that need addressing to the level that these beasts have changed our industry. I suppose that manufacturers will show some studies but I don't buy it.
I do, however believe in GFIs. GFICs make sense and can save a life or prevent a fire. They are a nuisance though and I suspect that because AFCIs are also GFICs that the problem is reset after reset. Oh well, I guess we will have to live with it. Jack Miller
I built a home nine years ago and used an arc fault breaker for each of the four bedrooms. Recently two of the breakers began tripping with no load attached to them. One more frequently than the other. I replaced the one that was tripping more frequently and the problem involving both bedrooms seems to have been resolved...at least for now. It's been about 5 weeks and nothing has tripped since.
In new wired residential house 4 AFCI breakers tripped randomly few minutes to few hours after switching on the circuit load. All tripping breakers were supplied from the same 120V lug.
It took over two weeks to find bad connection (and serial sparks) on utility supply line over 100 feet apart the house.
I have installed them in two houses that I own. These are low-use locations. No problems have been noted. I am eighty-five years old and retired from professional electrical work.
RBJ Commentary to AFCI problems,
One of the most common problems with running multiple wiring in any type raceway is that single conductor circuits run physically together with low magnetic cancelling for the BC being used. This can cause circuit coupling anomalies. NM paired conductors has one of the main advantages between conduit versus cable run environments. Regardless, circuit twist ratios are used to decrease coupling between cables. This could be one reason why the 2014 NEC is restricting 14 and 12 AWG runs at 50 and 70 ft lengths.
Unfortunately, the NEC and AFCI MANUFACTURERS are not resolving the coupling problems due to high current load circuits being bundled together in the BC home runs. As a communication satellite circuit harness designer in an earlier career, relating to a residential rope monkey, this is one reason why all bus and telemetry circuits have isolated harnesses and each have their signal intrinsic return circuits twisted together. Telecom has the same condition to correct when installing and isolating signal and power circuits. (Data cable CAT-6 use four pair each having a varied twist ratio to basically inhibit coupling or cross-talk.)
Contractors could have a better understanding with the electronic industry complexities (AFCI) and become involved in running better wire routing and termination methods. Parallel pigtail circuit usage, tight pre-twist connection bonds, no neutral sharing, no loops, and better selection of how multiple wire paired run lengths are spaced based on current draw and fault interrupter protection assembly in a system.
R. Benton Jacks July 17, 2013
Some of the new Leviton AFTR1 AFCI receptacles I recently installed in my own home trip immediately when I operate my amateur radio transmitter using as little as 5 watts power output. This happens even when the transmitter is plugged into a different circuit. Wiring attached to the "load" terminals apparently acts as an antenna which collects enough electromagnetic energy to affect the operation of the AFCI and cause it to trip.
Mike, NEMA wants to hear about it as well at this link provded by Paul Abernathy in a Linkedin Electrical Plan Review group discussion about the 2014 NEC expansion to Kitchens and Laundry rooms started by Matt Hermanson:
www.afcisafety.org/report.html
BTW, I just checked this link and it does still work.
Yours for a compliant electrical plan.
David Engelhart; Collier County Fla.; Plans Examiner, Fire Safety Inspector
I tried to use a CH afci on a circuit with a low voltage lights and dimmer. I had many conversations with Cutler Hammer and the manufacturer of lights and dimmer . They all said my products were compatable, but it did not work. When I used the dimmer it not only tripped that afci but also tripped 3 other afci's in the panel. After 3 tries with differant dimmers that were supposed to be compatable I cut my losses and replaced the cans with line voltage cans and had no more problems.
Several years ago rewired 2 or 3 outlets and ceiling fan/light with new 20A circuit in a bedrm in an old house for customer. Old wires abandoned and not touching new RX, they called back weeks later saying AFCI occasionally trips while using window unit AC. I replaced AFCI, also checked my wiring for anything too tight or ground and nuetral touching in boxes-all good. They just called last week saying after 2 wks of using the AC it tripped the AFCI, I told them I think its the AC but told them to switch circuits using extension cord and other bedroom AC as I had also rewired several outlets in the next bedrm also. Still waiting to hear from them but seems to me it would be the window AC but it doesn't do it all of the time though.
I have many clients that can not run the "kirby" type vacuums when plugged into their ark fault circuits. I have trip them out many times using a drill, during a install at a clients house. Just a personal note here. does any one out their think, that when devices became "U.L." listed to being installed by "stabbing" them. And now 15 to 20 years later we are see the result of that method of instalation. What ever happen to the "pig tailing " method of connecting devices to the circuits. Maybe its just me, but this I beleve is just another imposed code as a result of the acceptance of a lower quality of workmanship. In the effort to save time. And the truth is we as contractors have allowed it. Please, these are my thoughts I'm not trying to start a discussion over it.
I had to replace an AFCI for a bedroom in my house built in 2004. The AFCI would trip every time I turned the ceiling fan on and then off quickly. There were two switches on the wall by the door, and upon entering the room, I would occasionally flip the wrong switch, so in stead of the light coming on, the ceiling fan was start. So i would immediately turn the fan off again. This would cause the AFCI to trip. I replaced the AFCI with another one of the same style (Siemens) and the problem disappeared. I also had another one that would often trip when the vacuum cleaner was turned on.
We have had some hotel clients complain about nuisance tripping in hotel rooms and corridors when the cleaning people were operating vacuum cleaners.
A related issue is tamper-resistant receptacles. Same hotel client received a lot of complaints from guests having trouble pluggin in a two-prong plug.
ITE afci breaker and a HD TV.. I installed a circuit with 1 recept for a TV in a living room... tripped AFCI almost everyday... replace breaker problem solved... You never know if a problem will occur or not with AFCI's
Have had trouble with my Cutler Hammer AFCI breakers while using vacuum cleaner and if I plug in any device with a motor such as a circular saw, sawzall, etc. Twice had to replace a breaker because it would not reset after tripping.
Vacuum cleaners with the speed controlled beater brushes in the head, these always seem to trip it when adjusting around low speed.
**While you are at it please find out why (at least 90's and early 2000's Ford 7.3)diesel truck block heaters trip GFCI's. I have never been able to get this question answered, even by the companies that make them.Per code the outlet being outside is required to be GFCI but it will not hold overnight when it should/needs be connected.
I've had AFCI tripping issues with big screen TV's, treadmills and under cabinet lights. Many other random trips that I can't identify the cause of. I sure wish the whole requirement would be rescinded.
I have had problems with compact fluorescent lamps flickering and tripping AFCI breaker. Another time a $ foot fluorescent fixture in a closet tripped an AFCI breaker and the homeowner's really old sweeper, gave them problems too.
One of the most common service calls that I have is with Nursery feeding pumps tripping the AFCI This has been an ongoing issue for many of my customers, I have at least two service calls for this issue every month
The funniest AFCI trip I have ever had was gril who had her plug-in Private parts massager tripping the AFCI, This was a simple fix I was able to remove the shorts without any trouble
Anything with a motor or start up pulling more amps, even for a moment will trip that breaker, its only use is for bedrooms here in Chicago. Not any place with equipment containing a motor.
I installed these in my 2 bedroom circuits. In bedroom "A" never an issue.
In bedroom "B" unplugging a cell phone charger under heavy draw/current, unplugging a li-ion battery charger while strongly charging, unplugging vacum cleaner while running (accidental, person tripped on cord)- all caused the device to trip. We use multiple devices: window a/c, tv, lamps, cable modem,etc. all with No unexpected difficulty or negative results.
A lot of contractors and electricians have recently had complaints and issues with current AFCI breakers in equipment such as fans, dimmers, treadmills, etc. 
can we use a CAFI instead of an AFCI?
I have had problems with older fan forced heat units tripping AFCI units
Older vacuum cleaners (universal motors) Flicker flame light bulbs and some CFL's
i just replaced a AFCI with a CAFI 15 amp QO breaker that was tripping every few days and sometimes a week.i will see what happens to that. the funny thing is that the house has 2 non-working afci breakers, and when i tried the CAFI on another room it tripped a second after i turned i on. maybe that's why they put bad afci breakers in the first place. what's my next step?
I was sent to install a dedicated circuit in a bed room, for a woman with a serious skin condition. The Dr. had prescribed a tanning bed. The combination arc fault breaker would not hold, but the original type arc fault breaker would. This was done before the last code cycle, and the building was originally wired with the original style homeline arc fault breakers.
I enjoy forums like this. Knowledge is power, and may keep you alive.
Arch faults are more sensitive and have no forgiveness, that is why most electricians don't like them. i have had problems with some of the cheaper builders grade fans, and if a home owner over loads the circuit with electronics, the arch fault does not like the eddy currents produced. for the most part i have not had that many problems with the square d home line. knock on wood.
I do note believe that Arc fault breakers are anything but a waste. After fifty or so years of doing electrical repairs I just don't see a need nor do I think arcs are causing fires or problems that need addressing to the level that these beasts have changed our industry. I suppose that manufacturers will show some studies but I don't buy it. I do, however believe in GFIs. GFICs make sense and can save a life or prevent a fire. They are a nuisance though and I suspect that because AFCIs are also GFICs that the problem is reset after reset. Oh well, I guess we will have to live with it. Jack Miller
I built a home nine years ago and used an arc fault breaker for each of the four bedrooms. Recently two of the breakers began tripping with no load attached to them. One more frequently than the other. I replaced the one that was tripping more frequently and the problem involving both bedrooms seems to have been resolved...at least for now. It's been about 5 weeks and nothing has tripped since.
In new wired residential house 4 AFCI breakers tripped randomly few minutes to few hours after switching on the circuit load. All tripping breakers were supplied from the same 120V lug. It took over two weeks to find bad connection (and serial sparks) on utility supply line over 100 feet apart the house.
The AFCI 2 ( not 1)will trip every time on a rainbow vacuum clearer due to the high speed rpm motor. GE had no solution to the problem.
I have installed them in two houses that I own. These are low-use locations. No problems have been noted. I am eighty-five years old and retired from professional electrical work.
RBJ Commentary to AFCI problems, One of the most common problems with running multiple wiring in any type raceway is that single conductor circuits run physically together with low magnetic cancelling for the BC being used. This can cause circuit coupling anomalies. NM paired conductors has one of the main advantages between conduit versus cable run environments. Regardless, circuit twist ratios are used to decrease coupling between cables. This could be one reason why the 2014 NEC is restricting 14 and 12 AWG runs at 50 and 70 ft lengths. Unfortunately, the NEC and AFCI MANUFACTURERS are not resolving the coupling problems due to high current load circuits being bundled together in the BC home runs. As a communication satellite circuit harness designer in an earlier career, relating to a residential rope monkey, this is one reason why all bus and telemetry circuits have isolated harnesses and each have their signal intrinsic return circuits twisted together. Telecom has the same condition to correct when installing and isolating signal and power circuits. (Data cable CAT-6 use four pair each having a varied twist ratio to basically inhibit coupling or cross-talk.) Contractors could have a better understanding with the electronic industry complexities (AFCI) and become involved in running better wire routing and termination methods. Parallel pigtail circuit usage, tight pre-twist connection bonds, no neutral sharing, no loops, and better selection of how multiple wire paired run lengths are spaced based on current draw and fault interrupter protection assembly in a system. R. Benton Jacks July 17, 2013
Some of the new Leviton AFTR1 AFCI receptacles I recently installed in my own home trip immediately when I operate my amateur radio transmitter using as little as 5 watts power output. This happens even when the transmitter is plugged into a different circuit. Wiring attached to the "load" terminals apparently acts as an antenna which collects enough electromagnetic energy to affect the operation of the AFCI and cause it to trip.
Mike, NEMA wants to hear about it as well at this link provded by Paul Abernathy in a Linkedin Electrical Plan Review group discussion about the 2014 NEC expansion to Kitchens and Laundry rooms started by Matt Hermanson: www.afcisafety.org/report.html
BTW, I just checked this link and it does still work. Yours for a compliant electrical plan.
I tried to use a CH afci on a circuit with a low voltage lights and dimmer. I had many conversations with Cutler Hammer and the manufacturer of lights and dimmer . They all said my products were compatable, but it did not work. When I used the dimmer it not only tripped that afci but also tripped 3 other afci's in the panel. After 3 tries with differant dimmers that were supposed to be compatable I cut my losses and replaced the cans with line voltage cans and had no more problems.
Several years ago rewired 2 or 3 outlets and ceiling fan/light with new 20A circuit in a bedrm in an old house for customer. Old wires abandoned and not touching new RX, they called back weeks later saying AFCI occasionally trips while using window unit AC. I replaced AFCI, also checked my wiring for anything too tight or ground and nuetral touching in boxes-all good. They just called last week saying after 2 wks of using the AC it tripped the AFCI, I told them I think its the AC but told them to switch circuits using extension cord and other bedroom AC as I had also rewired several outlets in the next bedrm also. Still waiting to hear from them but seems to me it would be the window AC but it doesn't do it all of the time though.
I have many clients that can not run the "kirby" type vacuums when plugged into their ark fault circuits. I have trip them out many times using a drill, during a install at a clients house. Just a personal note here. does any one out their think, that when devices became "U.L." listed to being installed by "stabbing" them. And now 15 to 20 years later we are see the result of that method of instalation. What ever happen to the "pig tailing " method of connecting devices to the circuits. Maybe its just me, but this I beleve is just another imposed code as a result of the acceptance of a lower quality of workmanship. In the effort to save time. And the truth is we as contractors have allowed it. Please, these are my thoughts I'm not trying to start a discussion over it.
I had to replace an AFCI for a bedroom in my house built in 2004. The AFCI would trip every time I turned the ceiling fan on and then off quickly. There were two switches on the wall by the door, and upon entering the room, I would occasionally flip the wrong switch, so in stead of the light coming on, the ceiling fan was start. So i would immediately turn the fan off again. This would cause the AFCI to trip. I replaced the AFCI with another one of the same style (Siemens) and the problem disappeared. I also had another one that would often trip when the vacuum cleaner was turned on.
We have had some hotel clients complain about nuisance tripping in hotel rooms and corridors when the cleaning people were operating vacuum cleaners.
A related issue is tamper-resistant receptacles. Same hotel client received a lot of complaints from guests having trouble pluggin in a two-prong plug.
ITE afci breaker and a HD TV.. I installed a circuit with 1 recept for a TV in a living room... tripped AFCI almost everyday... replace breaker problem solved... You never know if a problem will occur or not with AFCI's
Have had trouble with my Cutler Hammer AFCI breakers while using vacuum cleaner and if I plug in any device with a motor such as a circular saw, sawzall, etc. Twice had to replace a breaker because it would not reset after tripping.
Vacuum cleaners with the speed controlled beater brushes in the head, these always seem to trip it when adjusting around low speed.
**While you are at it please find out why (at least 90's and early 2000's Ford 7.3)diesel truck block heaters trip GFCI's. I have never been able to get this question answered, even by the companies that make them.Per code the outlet being outside is required to be GFCI but it will not hold overnight when it should/needs be connected.
Installation errors of outlets - neutrals touching grounds.
I've had AFCI tripping issues with big screen TV's, treadmills and under cabinet lights. Many other random trips that I can't identify the cause of. I sure wish the whole requirement would be rescinded.
I have had problems with compact fluorescent lamps flickering and tripping AFCI breaker. Another time a $ foot fluorescent fixture in a closet tripped an AFCI breaker and the homeowner's really old sweeper, gave them problems too.
One of the most common service calls that I have is with Nursery feeding pumps tripping the AFCI This has been an ongoing issue for many of my customers, I have at least two service calls for this issue every month
The funniest AFCI trip I have ever had was gril who had her plug-in Private parts massager tripping the AFCI, This was a simple fix I was able to remove the shorts without any trouble
it seem that if room is on one circuit , breaker will not trip, unless it has a spark .
Anything with a motor or start up pulling more amps, even for a moment will trip that breaker, its only use is for bedrooms here in Chicago. Not any place with equipment containing a motor.
I installed these in my 2 bedroom circuits. In bedroom "A" never an issue. In bedroom "B" unplugging a cell phone charger under heavy draw/current, unplugging a li-ion battery charger while strongly charging, unplugging vacum cleaner while running (accidental, person tripped on cord)- all caused the device to trip. We use multiple devices: window a/c, tv, lamps, cable modem,etc. all with No unexpected difficulty or negative results.