That Is Shocking! Blog | Jeffries Electric | Serving North Texas for over 27 Years

Well, things have changed. The new sheriff is a breaker with a computer chip at it’s heart. This new sheriff will enforce all the laws that are programmed into its little brain. No tolerance, and no mercy. Enter the new sheriff, The AFCI breaker.

Computers are like that. No personality and they don’t smile. That is the good news, because you don’t want a problem with your wiring or a plug in appliance to start a fire and be the cause of property damage and injury.

Arc Fault Breakers installed in existing homes. The AFCI breaker.

This new type of breaker is required for new homes and many towns require this AFCI breaker for circuit extensions and panel change outs. This is a quantum advance in home safety, but not without some draw backs. As we are required by state and local laws to install this device in your home breaker panel, we must comply and we want you to be as safe as possible. Below are some of the existing problems that surface when the new breaker is installed.

• “An appliance plug damaged by impact repeatedly caused tripping of the
AFCI until the problem was discovered. When the appliance cord was
replaced, no further tripping of the AFCI occurred.

• A room air conditioner that had developed a defect tripped the AFCI.
The performance of the AFCI was questioned until the offending
appliance was discovered and disconnected. The AFCI continues in
service with no further tripping.

• An AFCI installed in a new building tripped repeatedly until damage
caused by a nail through insulation was discovered and corrected.

• An AFCI installed as a retrofit in an older building tripped as soon
as it was turned on. The installing electrician found the problem with
extensive evidence of arcing in an old lighting fixture.

• Another damaged lamp with line-to-ground arcing was found when an
AFCI was installed in an existing circuit. The AFCI tripped when the
circuit was first energized after the installation.

• An AFCI tripped when retrofitted into an existing circuit.
Examination of the circuit disclosed that wire insulation had burnt
back exposing bare conductors near their connection to a receptacle.
The exposed wires had been arcing through the charred insulation. It
appeared that heat from a loose connection at the receptacle had caused
the wires to burn back.

As you might guess from that list, the greatest number of fires from
electrical causes is in homes ten years old and older where changes
have been made to electrical circuits by various owners and where
insulation is deteriorating with age, use and misuse. However, fires
from electrical arcs are recorded for residences of all ages. Besides,
all homes become older homes. If the protection is not present before
they age, they will remain unprotected as they age.”

Safety is no accident. How much is a good night’s sleep worth?

With all this being said, read my previous post ( Changing Out your Breaker Panel ) about the issues and time it takes to troubleshoot the wiring when you install a new arc-fault ( AFCI) breaker.

Jeffries Electric is your local electrician. We bring you quality and value. We install landscape lighting and 200 amp panels. We will replace your Federal Pacific Panel and add new plugs or lights. We offer upfront pricing and commercial repairs. All our electricians are licensed and insured. We are your Lewisville electrician, Coppell electrician, and Denton electrician. We offer lifetime warranties on breakers and breaker panels. We are your FlowerMound electrician and Plano electrician. Please replace frayed extension cords. They can be very dangerous. Your Frisco electrician and Corinth electrician at your service.