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Posted by bud-- on June 2, 2008, 12:45 am
JIMMIE wrote:
>> CB wrote:
>>>>> Doing bathroom rewiring and had to get a new breaker for my electrical
>>>>> panel. Got both the AFCI breaker b/c I figured it's basically good
>>>>> insurance and looking at the details and it says "you must have a
>>>>> licensed eletrician do this!". But it appears to me that it's pretty
>>>>> straightforward. Wanted to make sure.
>>>>> It looks like the hot line of the circuit goes into the breaker, the
>>>>> neutral from the circuit goes into the breaker (instead of the bus),
>>>>> the pigtail curly-q neutral out of the breaker goes into the neutral
>>>>> bus, and it hooks in just like the normal breaker onto the bus. I'm
>>>>> assuming the ground from the circuit also goes into the ground bus
>>>>> (which on my panel is on the same bus as the neutral).
>>>>> Yes, I know to stay away from the main two incoming lines as they're
>>>>> still hot, and to turn the main power off, and to be careful.
>>>>> But am I missing anything else?
>>>> AFCI protection is for bedrooms, until the 2008 code kicks in, GFCI
>>>> protection is for bathrooms.- Hide quoted text -
>>>>
>>> But it won't hurt anything to be above code right? The two provide
>>> different types of protection. I've got the gfci covered
>> I'm not sure. Some AFCIs incorporate a GFI (but not at
>> personnel-protection levels, at equipment-protection levels.) therefore
>> you might end up with multiple trips if you ever have a ground fault.
>> You'll find out when you test it for the first time :)
>>
All AFCIs are required (UL) to have ground fault protection at a 50mA
level (commonly provided at 30mA). (GFCIs are 5mA.)
>
> You cant use a GFCI outlet with a GFCI breaker. I suspect it probably
> is the same using an AFCI breaker with a GFCI outlet.
>
As Mike Holt (link) and RBM said, you can put a GFCI outlet downstream
from an AFCI breaker.
You can also put a GFCI outlet downstream from a GFCI breaker or another
GFCI outlet.
With a GFCI outlet downstream from an AFCI (or GFCI), a ground fault
could trip both. The GFCI test button should not trip the AFCI (or
upstream GFCI).
Note that the Mike Holt link dates from 2002. AFCIs have been required,
since 1-1-08, to detect series arcs (loose connections).
In the 2008 NEC, AFCIs are more or less required on circuits where GFCIs
are not required (residential 15/20A 120V). AFCIs are not required (but
can be installed) for bathroom receptacle circuits.
--
bud--
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