Arc-fault breaker setup

[Phillip]

This morning inspection home built in 2004. There are 3 Arc-fault breakers installed. One of the breakers is on the receptacles for the master bedroom. Another breaker takes care of the receptacles for the other bedrooms. The last breaker takes care of the lights.

The NEC 2002 part 210.12 says.

All branch circuits that supply 125-volt, single phase, 15- and 20-Ampere outlets installed in dwelling unit bedrooms shall be protected by an Arc-fault circuit interrupters listed to provide protection of the entire branch circuit

The way I read this that the lights and outlet should be on the same breaker for the bedrooms. Not the way it is set up.

What do you say?

[Brandon Whitmore]

Just my humble opinion, but I am not reading it that way.

It seems to me that they are trying to say that the AFCI breaker just needs to be listed to protect the entire circuit, not that all outlets in the bedroom must be protected by the same circuit/ AFCI .

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Brandon Whitmore

Just my humble opinion, but I am not reading it that way.

It seems to me that they are trying to say that the AFCI breaker just needs to be listed to protect the entire circuit, not that all outlets in the bedroom must be protected by the same circuit/ AFCI .

I agree with Brandon's interpretation. There'd be no advantage to require light & receptacles on the same circuit.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Phillip]

The advantage that I see if the arc is on the plug circuit you may not known about it for a day or two until you used something on that circuit.

Also it would be easier to find the arc is the wiring was limited to one room.

Most of the home with arc-fault in them cover all of the outlets in the room. This is being put in my report to inform my client about it not an item that needs to be repaired.

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Phillip

The advantage that I see if the arc is on the plug circuit you may not known about it for a day or two until you used something on that circuit.

Also it would be easier to find the arc is the wiring was limited to one room.

Most of the home with arc-fault in them cover all of the outlets in the room. This is being put in my report to inform my client about it not an item that needs to be repaired.

Those are both valid points, but they speak more to the design of the system, not the safety. The NEC is exclusively concerned with safety, not design or efficiency. So you're unlikely to find any backup from them.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[charlie]

Lights and receptacles are often placed on seperate circuits so that if the receptacle circuit is tripped you aren't left in the dark.