AFCI breakers and the home owner

[HayZee518]

I just done a little investigating into the use and application of ARC FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTERS. According to what I found, all new construction for any room except the bathroom and kitchen will require the use of an arc fault breaker to protect their circuits. All 15 and 20 amp branch circuits require an AFCI breaker. The older code said you needed to protect only bedrooms but the clarification says all rooms with the exceptions above. AFCI's run between $40 to $55 EACH! This means that if a 40 circuit panelboard had all single pole breakers it would cost $2,200 just for breakers!

[pushkins]

Yep, just went through that with a complete remodel on a property, building department considered the renovation new build in terms of electrical requirements and insisted in all AFCI breakers.
Admittedly I did strip it back to studs in many rooms and three rooms became the new 450 sq. foot kitchen.

[thedcdude]

I have a new home with AFCI breakers in the bedrooms and I'm finding them to be a bit of a nuisance. In one room the vacuum cleaner will trip the breaker every time. In another bedroom I wanted the ceiling fan to be wired with the fan always hot (controlled by the chain) and the light on the switch. I tapped into a hot wire in the attic for the fan only. The AFCI didn't like this, so I pulled it and put in a regular breaker. Guess I'll change it back and wire the fan to the switch when I sell the house.

[HayZee518]

lo0ok into any site having to do with afci breakers. the troubleshooting steps total five items. the afci trips because of any sparking. your vacuum motor normally sparks when it runs and the afci sees this as a problem. when a switch, any switch, is operating under load it will spark, tripping the breaker. personnel safety is paramount in any house but nuisance tripping is a pain in the butt!