Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI) Reduce Fire Hazards

An Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter, AFCI for short, is an electrical device that shuts off power to a circuit when arcing conditions are first detected. Normal circuit breakers open in the presence of a short and may not trip before a fire has begun due to arcing. Up to 40,000 home fires can be associated with arcing and sparking. More than 350 people die and over 1,400 are injured each year in these fires. Property losses are well over $500 million dollars a year.

In an effort to reduce fires and save lives, the National Electric Code, NEC, has made the requirements for AFCI use more stringent. In the 2002 NEC version, only bedrooms were required to be protected by these devices. The 2008 NEC now requires the technology in additional areas of the home such as dining rooms, living rooms, and other living areas. AFCIs are not limited to just receptacles, any branch circuit in the areas listed in the code are required to have arc fault protection, including lights, fans, and alarm and smoke detector electrical wiring. Most builders and electricians have endorsed their use in saving lives and property, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, CPSC, has tested the devices and found that they are effective in detecting arcs and preventing fires from starting.

AFCIs should not be confused with Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, GFCIs; a GFCI is a device that provides protection against electric shock. AFCIs address fire hazards while GFCIs address shock hazards. In the future, combination units will be able to provide protection from both hazards. Although an AFCI can be found as an outlet or portable device, they are commonly installed as a breaker in the main panelboard of a home.

Existing homes with standard circuit breakers may benefit from the added protection against the arcing faults that can occur in aging wiring systems as the possibility of arcing does increase the age of the wiring. Other causes for arcs are worn electrical insulation, damaged wire, neutral leads pinched or in contact with a grounded box, wet connections, loose electrical connections, damaged appliance cords or equipment. Even a misplaced nail that damages a wire can lead to arcing.

If considering installing AFCIs in your panelboard, have a qualified electrician install the devices. Even though they can be purchased at most home centers, the way in which your home is wired can cause nuisance tripping. Shared neutrals are one common cause.

The benefits of installing Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters well outweigh the costs. It may only require a few hundred dollars to replace all the necessary breakers in your home with this level of protection, compared to the number of deaths and injuries that occur each year. Another incentive to replace standard breakers with Arc Fault breakers would be lower insurance premiums. Insurance companies will require that the work is either completed by a licensed electrician in many cases, or may require that the work be inspected by the local building inspector. Even without the added incentive of saving on insurance, the knowledge that your home’s electrical system is up-to-date is worth the cost of installation.

Arc faults may occur for many reasons such as worn electrical insulation or damaged wire, misapplied or damaged appliance cords and equipment, loose electrical connections, receptacle leakage, neutral leads pinched to grounded metal box, wet connections or conduit, shorted wires, wires or cords in contact with vibrating metal, overheated or stressed electrical cords and wires, or driving a nail into a wall and having it inadvertently hit a wire. The possibility of arcing grows the older the home becomes since age and degradation of materials will contribute to the possibility of these conditions occurring.

How To Install Ground Fault Circuit Interupter Outlets - GFCI's

To better understand what is involved in installing a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) in your home, you’ll first need to have an understanding of basic electrical wiring. If you feel at all uncomfortable about working on an electrical circuit, then it might be best the call a professional. Understanding basic circuitry, knowing where to turn circuits off and on, being able to test circuits and keep track of what goes where are all essential and important.

Time Required: 15 Minutes

Here's How:

1. Turn Off the Power

   Before you begin any electrical project, go to the electrical panel and shut off the circuit that you’ll be working on. Sometimes, not always, the electrician will mark the panel, on the inside of the door with the location the each individual breaker supplies. If it is marked, turn off the correct circuit. If it is not marked, plug something into the circuit and one-at-a-time start shutting off breakers. When the device that you plugged in goes out, you may have found the circuit.

2. Check the Circuit

   Always double-check the circuit with a tester or meter to be safe! Never assume that, just because the light went out, the circuit is off. Maybe, just maybe the bulb burned out and you happened to be at the right place at the wrong time.

3. Mark Each Wire

   Now that the circuit is safe to start work, remove the existing outlet cover and then the outlet. Do yourself a favor and get a pencil and paper so that you can mark down how everything is connected. If you have a roll of masking tape, mark down things like “right top side hot wire” and you’ll be able to place these right on the wires themselves. Use the tape and label each wire, paying close attention to what color screws each connects to. This will eliminate any guesswork when installing the new device.

4. Replace the Outlet

   Unscrew the wires from the outlet and remove. If you’re reusing the existing wire feed, connect the new device to the GFCI outlet. The brass terminal is for the “hot” wire. This is usually the black or red wire. Connect the white wire to the silver screw. This is the neutral connection. The bare or green wire is the ground connection. Place it around the green screw. When you have connected all the wires successfully, give the entire side of the outlet a wrap of electrical tape. This will eliminate the screw from touching either the side of the box or a stray wire when reinstalling.

5. Install the Outlet

   Press the outlet into the box before installing the outlet with the screws provided. You may have to carefully push and bend the wires back into the box to make everything fit. Now install the cover plate that came with the outlet and your installation is complete.

6. Turn on Power and Test

   Once you’re satisfied, go back to the electrical panel and turn on the circuit. Go to the GFCI and press the reset button. Now use your tester to check the circuit. You can also use a lamp or any small appliance to see if power is restored.

Tips:

1. Always make sure that the power is off before performing any elctrical project! Safety first!

What You Need:

• Flat Blade Screw Driver
• Phillips Blade Screw Driver
• Wire Strippers
• Circuit Tester
• Tape
• Pen or Pencil

Are there different types of GFIs?

The three basic types used in homes are the GFI outlet, the GFI circuit breaker and the portable GFI. All perform the same function each has different applications and limitations.

The GFI outlet (shown above) is intended as a replacement for a standard electrical outlet. It protects any appliance plugged into it, and can also be wired to protect other outlets that are connected to it.

IMPORTANT: A GFI outlet is not difficult to install, but the instructions for installation and testing must be followed precisely to insure the GFI works properly!!

The GFI circuit breaker controls an entire circuit, and is installed as a replacement for a circuit breaker on your home's main circuit board. Some homes are wired so that all bathrooms or all outdoor fixtures are on the same circuit. Rather than install multiple GFI outlets, one GFI circuit breaker can protect the entire circuit.

If you decide that the GFI circuit breaker is your best option, you must purchase one that is a match for your main electrical panel. If you have an older panel that utilizes fuses, you cannot use a GFI circuit breaker and must use GFI outlets instead.

Resetting a GFI circuit breaker is a little different than resetting an outlet-type GFI. There is no "reset" switch. Instead, the GFI breaker is reset by first switching the breaker to the full "off" position, then to the full "on" position to restore power.

There is also a portable GFI that is often used by contractors.

How Ground Fault Protection Works

A "GFCI" is a ground fault circuit interrupter. A ground fault circuit interrupter is an inexpensive electrical device that, if installed in household branch circuits, could prevent over two-thirds of the approximately 300 electrocutions still occurring each year in and around the home. Installation of the device could also prevent thousands of burn and electric shock injuries each year.

The GFCI is designed to protect people from severe or fatal electric shocks. Because a GFCI detects ground faults, it can also prevent some electrical fires and reduce the severity of others by interrupting the flow of electric current.

The Problem

Have you ever experienced an electric shock? If you did, the shock probably happened because your hand or some other part of your body contacted a source of electrical current and your body provided a path for the electrical current to go to the ground, so that you received a shock.

An unintentional electric path between a source of current and a grounded surface is referred to as a "ground-fault." Ground faults occur when current is leaking somewhere, in effect, electricity is escaping to the ground. How it leaks is very important. If your body provides a path to the ground for this leakage, you could electrocuted.

Some examples of accidents that underscore this hazard include the following:

• Two children, ages five and six, were electrocuted in Texas when a plugged-in hair dryer fell into the tub in which they were bathing.
• A three-year-old Kansas girl was electrocuted when she touched a faulty countertop.

These two electrocutions occurred because the electrical current escaping from the appliance traveled through the victim to ground (in these cases, the grounded plumbing fixtures). Had a GFCI been installed, these deaths would probably have been prevented because a GFCI would have sensed the current flowing to ground and would have switched off the power before the electrocution occurred.

How the GFCI Works

In the home's wiring system, the GFCI constantly monitors electricity flowing in a circuit, to sense any loss of current. If the current flowing through the circuit differs by a small amount from that returning, the GFCI quickly switches off power to that circuit. The GFCI interrupts power faster than a blink of an eye to prevent a lethal dose of electricity. You may receive a painful shock, but you should not be electrocuted or receive a serious shock injury.

Here's how it may work in your house. Suppose a bare wire inside an appliance touches the metal case. The case is then charged with electricity. If you touch the appliance with one hand while the other hand is touching a grounded metal object, like a water faucet, you will receive a shock. If the appliance is plugged into an outlet protected by a GFCI, the power will be shut off before a fatal shock would occur.

Availability of GFCIs

Three common types of ground fault circuit interrupters are available for home use:

• Receptacle Type: This type of GFCI is used in place of the standard duplex receptacle found throughout the house It fits into the standard outlet box and protects you against "ground faults" whenever an electrical product is plugged into the outlet. Most receptacle-type GFCls can be installed so that they also protect other electrical outlets further "down stream" in the branch circuit.
• Circuit Breaker Type: In homes equipped with circuit breakers rather than fuses, a circuit breaker GFCI may be installed in a panel box to give protection to selected circuits The circuit breaker GFCI serves a dual purpose - not only will it shut off electricity in the event of a "ground-fault," but it will also trip when a short circuit or an overload occurs Protection covers the wiring and each outlet, lighting fixture, heater, etc. served by the branch circuit protected by the GFCI in the panel box.


• Portable Type: Where permanent GFCls are not practical, portable GFCls may be used One type contains the GFCI circuitry in a plastic enclosure with plug blades in the back and receptacle slots in the f rant. It can be plugged into a receptacle, then, the electrical product is plugged into the GFCI. Another type of portable GFCI is an extension cord combined with a GFCI. It adds flexibility in using receptacles that are not protected by GFCls.

Where GFCIs Should Be Considered

In homes built to comply with the National Electrical Code (the Code), GFCI protection is required for most outdoor receptacles (since 1973), bathroom receptacle circuits (since 1975), garage wall outlets (since 1978), kitchen receptacles (since 1987), and all receptacles in crawl spaces and unfinished basements (since 1990).

Owners of homes that do not have GFCls installed in all those critical areas specified in the latest version of the Code should consider having them installed. For broad protection, GFCI circuit breakers may be added in many panels of older homes to replace ordinary circuit breaker. For homes protected by fuses, you are limited to receptacle or portable-type GFCIs and these may be installed in areas of greatest exposure, such as the bathroom, kitchen, basement, garage, and outdoor circuits.

A GFCI should be used whenever operating electrically powered garden equipment (mower, hedge trimmer, edger, etc.). Consumers can obtain similar protection by using GFCIs with electric tools (drills, saws, sanders, etc.) for do-it-yourself work in and around the house.

Installing GFCIs

Circuit breaker and receptacle-type GFCIs may be installed in your home by a qualified electrician. Receptacle-type GFCIs may be installed by knowledgeable consumers familiar with electrical wiring practices who also follow the instructions accompanying the device. When in doubt about the proper procedure, contact a qualified electrician. Do not attempt to install it yourself.

The portable GFCI requires no special knowledge or equipment to install.

Testing the GFCIs

All GFCIs should be tested once a month to make sure they are working properly and are protecting you from fatal shock. GFCIs should be tested after installation to make sure they are working properly and protecting the circuit.

To test the receptacle GFCI, first plug a night light or lamp into the outlet. The light should be on Then, press the "TEST" button on the GFCI. The GFCI's "RESET" button should pop out, and the light should go out.

If the "RESET" button pops out but the light does not go out, the GFCI has been improperly wired. Contact an electrician to correct the wiring errors.

If the "RESET" button does not pop out, the GFCI is defective and should be replaced.

If the GFCI is functioning properly, and the lamp goes out, press the "RESET" button to restore power to the outlet.

THE GFCI

A "GFCI" is a ground fault circuit interrupter. A ground fault circuit interrrupter is an inexpensive electrical device that, if installed in household branch circuits, could prevent over two-thirds of the approximately 300 electrocutions still occurring each year in and around the home. Installation of the device could also prevent thousands of burn and electric shock injuries each year.

The GFCI is designed to protect people from severe or fatal electric shocks Because a GFCI detects ground faults, it can also prevent some electrical fires and reduce the severity of others by interrupting the flow of electric current.

THE PROBLEM

Have you ever experienced an electric shock? If you did, the shock probably happened because your hand or some other part of your body contacted a source of electrical current and your body provided a path for the electrical current to go to the ground, so that you received a shock.

An unintentional electric path between a source of current and a grounded surface is referred to as a "ground-fault." Ground faults ground-fault. Ground faults occur when current is leaking somewhere, in effect, electricity is escaping to the ground. How it leaks is very important. If your body provides a path to the ground for this leakage, you could be injured, burned, severely shocked, or electrocuted.

Some examples of accidents that underscore this hazard include the following:

- Two children, ages five and six, were electrocuted in Texas when a plugged-in hair dryer fell into the tub in which they were bathing.

- A three-year-old Kansas girl was electrocuted when she touched a faulty countertop.

These two electrocutions occurred because the electrical current escaping from the appliance traveled through the victim to ground (in these cases, the grounded plumbing fixtures). Had a GFCI been installed, these deaths would probably have been prevented because a GFCI would have sensed the current flowing to ground and would have switched off the power before the electrocution occurred.

HOW THE GFC1 WORKS

In the home's wiring system, the GFCI constantly monitors electricity flowing in a circuit, to sense any loss of current. If the current flowing through the circuit differs by a small amount from that returning, the GFCI quickly switches off power to that circuit. The GFCI interrupts power faster than a blink of an eye to prevent a lethal dose of electricity. You may receive a painful shock, but you should not be electrocuted or receive a serious shock injury.

Here's how it may work in your house.. Suppose a bare wire inside an appliance touches the metal case. The case is then charged with electricity. If you touch the appliance with one hand while the other hand is touching a grounded metal object, like a water faucet, you will receive a shock. If the appliance is plugged into an outlet protected by a GFCI, the power will be shut off before a fatal shock would occur.