Re: Wife's 2nd attempt to burn our house down...
The AFCI breakers - arc fault circuit interupter need a AFCI outlet to protect pluged in items
C&P
I have pressed the manufacturers of AFCI devices to demonstrate the superiority of the AFCI circuit breaker (as compared to a standard circuit breaker) in preventing a fire from loose terminals and connections. My challenge was specifically directed to Cutler-Hammer because they disputed some of the comments I made in my newsletters. Cutler-Hammer had offered many times to demonstrate their AFCI technology, but I refused this invitation. I requested, instead of their demonstration, a comparison test of AFCI circuit breakers against a standard circuit breaker, but Cutler-Hammer refused this request. As a result, I submitted a proposal October 30, 2002 to have the AFCI requirement removed from the NEC based on the following:
1. UL 1699, the AFCI standard, does not require the AFCI circuit breaker to protect against fires caused by arcing at loose connections, at loose wires in wire connectors, or at loose screws.
2. Many in the industry (including myself) felt that an AFCI protective device, as required by the NEC, will not significantly reduce the incidence of fires at loose terminations and connections and the AFCI protection device (as currently listed) will not prevent them.
Tommays
