×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Standard Breaker vs AFCI vs GFCI

Standard Breaker vs AFCI vs GFCI

Standard Breaker vs AFCI vs GFCI

(OP)
I'm baffled on something pertaining to selection of breakers for a new residential panel. In the NEC2008, the location requirements for AFCI protection have grown substantially. My question is this: With all the places that an AFCI or GFCI are required, where can you still use the standard 5 or 10 dollar breaker?

RE: Standard Breaker vs AFCI vs GFCI

I'm not familiar enough with the new AFCI requirements, but I think most GFCI requirements have been met with GFCI receptacles and standard breakers.
 

RE: Standard Breaker vs AFCI vs GFCI

The AFCIs are required, by the 2008 code, to protect the circuits that supply power to outlets that are installed in dwelling unit family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways, or similar rooms.
This leaves the kitchen, bathroom, basement, attic, garage and outside circuits to use the standard type of breaker.  In a typical dwelling unit I would guess that about 50 to 60% of the breakers would be AFCI breakers.  As stated by jghrist most of the required GFCI protection in dwelling units is provided by GFCI receptacles as they are much cheaper than a GFCI breaker.  

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources