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Efficacy of AFCI in real situations.
Citation preview
1
The Division is inviting testimony regarding Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI). The Division
is requesting the following specific information. The information will be used to assess the
upcoming expansion of AFCI protection beyond residential bedrooms to other living areas.
1. How many states have adopted, without modification, the AFCI requirements in the
2008 or later NEC?
Out of 50 states and the District of Columbia, 35 states have adopted the expanded
requirements of AFCI that NEC 2008 introduced and NEC 2011 continues to require.
There are 5 states that have made a conscious decision to keep AFCIs to the language of
NEC 2005 which kept AFCIs on bedroom circuits only. There are approximately 9 states
that do not have a state wide adoption. There is one state that has made a conscious
decision to not have any AFCI requirements for new structures built in that state.
The following states have reviewed and adopted NEC 2011. The table includes
amendments specific to AFCIs as well as the effective dates.
STATE AMENDMENTS EFFECTIVE
DATE
Massachusetts None 1/1/2011
North Dakota Branch Feeder AFCIs are Permitted 9/1/2011
Minnesota None 8/1/2011
South Dakota None 7/1/2011
Nebraska None 8/27/2011
Vermont None 6/1/2011
Rhode Island None 8/1/2011
New Hampshire None 7/1/2011
Maine None 7/19/2011
Texas None 9/1/2011
Utah None 7/1/2012
Nevada None
Iowa None 1/1/2012
Colorado None 7/1/2011
Kentucky None 1/1/2012
Wyoming None 7/1/2011
Ohio None
11/1/2011 - Multi-Family, commercial,
industrial
1/1/2013 - Residential
Alabama None 4/18/2011
New Mexico None 11/1/2011
Georgia None 1/1/2012
New Jersey Section 210.12(B) Branch Circuit Extensions or
Modifications Dwelling Units deleted because it is regulated by the Rehabilitation Sub-code
5/7/2012
Arkansas None 1/1/2012
North Carolina None 7/3/2012
2
The following states have reviewed and adopted NEC 2008. The table includes
amendments specific to AFCIs as well as the effective dates.
STATE AMENDMENTS EFFECTIVE
DATE
Virginia Bedrooms Only 3/1/2011
New York None 7/1/2011 (NY City)
Idaho Bedrooms Only 4/1/2012
Hawaii None 4/16/2010
South Carolina Smoke Detectors Not Required to be AFCI Protected 7/1/2009
Wisconsin None 1/1/2010
Montana None 7/30/2010
Tennessee Bedrooms Only 1/28/2009
Louisiana None 1/1/2010
Indiana 210.12 removed No AFCI requirement 8/26/2009
Michigan Bedrooms only 12/2/2009
Pennsylvania None 12/31/2009
Alaska None 1/1/2009
Florida None 8/1/2009
Delaware Smoke Detectors Not Required to be AFCI Protected 11/11/2009
Washington Smoke Detectors Not Required to be AFCI Protected &
Bedrooms Only 12/31/2008
West Virginia None 7/1/2010
California None 1/1/2011
2. What are the demonstrated safety benefits of AFCI protection? (i.e. number of
preventable fires related to the lack of AFCI devices, loss of life or property
traceable to fires caused by arcing, etc.)
The “Oregon Fire Fatality Review 2004 – 2008” report illustrates the following statistics
for the state of Oregon:
These four top causes of fatal fires account for 79% of the fatalities5: 46% cigarette, cigar, or pipe (includes 8% smoking while on oxygen) 13% candle 11% electrical 9% combustibles too close to heat source
These three rooms where the fire started account for 80% of the fatalities: 41% in the living room or family room 30% in the bedroom 10% in the kitchen
Oregon incurred more than $59Million in property damage due to structure fires, not just
electrical fires, in one and two family dwellings in 2009. There were 172 Injuries and 9
deaths in all for 2009. 14% of these fires, equating to 269 incidents, are classified as
having an ignition source due to an electrical arc or overload. This is specific to structure
fires in one and two family dwelling units and for 2009 alone.
3
The AFCI product is designed to help mitigate these types of electrical fires that cost
states like Oregon lives and property damage. AFCIs can help decrease the loss in lives
and property.
FEMA reports, from a national perspective, a decline in residential building electrical
malfunction fires over a 5 year period from 2006 to 2010. Their data illustrates the
following:
An 18% decrease in fires.
A 4% decrease in deaths.
A 3% increase in injuries.
A 3% decrease in dollar loss. (Note: This overall constant dollar loss trend takes
inflation into account by adjusting each year’s dollar loss to its equivalent 2010
value.)
These statistics illustrate the value of the national electrical code as well as timely
adoption and enforcement of building codes in general. This activity saves lives and
property reducing the financial impact of electrical fires which are very devastating as
these types of fires result in severe negative impact to the structure.
Figure 1 - Electrical Malfunction Fires – NFPA
Figure 1 displays the number of fires decreasing since AFCIs were introduced into the
code to the most current data.1
Electrical Malfunction Fires - NFPA
35000
40000
45000
50000
55000
60000
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Year
Fir
es
4
Figure 2 - Electrical Distribution Fires – NFPA
Figure 2 shows similar information to Figure 1 above.
Since 2008, the year that NEC 2008 expanded AFCIs to branch circuits supplying other
areas of the home in addition to bedroom circuits, the number of electrical distribution
and lighting equipment fires has steadily decreased. Key findings in this study showed
that wiring or related equipment was the highest cause of home fires, followed by lamps,
light fixtures, cords, and plugs.2 The NFPA recommends keeping the house updated with
the most current codes.
3. Where there are reports of AFCI device tripping, what was determined to be the cause?
(i.e. faulty wiring or post-wiring puncture, specific wiring methods, specific pieces of
equipment/products, etc.)
Attached is a document illustrating examples of the AFCI products finding damaged
wiring and damaged appliances due to many different causes. There is also a video on
You Tube that documents one particular home owner who experienced tripping of his
AFCIs and was told numerous times to replace the AFCIs with standard thermal
magnetic circuit breakers. Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fO5ulBRdVb8&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97mgZw-ZrDY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBqm3TTVPlA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLOgTrSM3XE&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Part 5: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iirOIwePOYA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Attached is this home owners thank you letter after he worked together with the
manufacturer and electrical contractor to find and fix the cause of the tripping - a
damaged conductor.
Electrical Distribution Fires - NFPA
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Year
Fir
es
5
4. What are the costs of complying with the requirements for installing AFCI protecting in
living areas? (i.e. cost of device(s), average cost of call backs, etc.)
The cost of not employing this technology is reflected in the fire statistics illustrated
above.
The AFCI circuit breaker takes no more time to install than a standard thermal magnetic
circuit breaker. The cost of an AFCI circuit breaker varies by manufacturer and
arrangement with the electrical contractor. Lowes on line shows prices of AFCIs to be
approximately $35 - $40 per breaker.
The National Electrical Code only requires AFCI protection for 15- and 20-ampere
branch circuits supplying outlets installed in dwelling unit family rooms, dining rooms,
living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets,
hallways, or similar rooms or areas. According to the Electrical Construction and
Maintenance newsletter3, the average number of AFCIs needed in a home is 12 devices.
This would equate to $480 per home. The U.S. Census and the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development released the median sale price of a new house sold in
May 2012 of $234,500.004. The additional cost of around 0.2% of the total cost of the
house is an insignificant price for increased levels of safety provided by installed AFCIs.
5. Are you aware of instances where a homeowner has tried to by-pass the device?
Unfortunately the bypassing of this technology is typically performed more by the
electrical contractor than the home owner. The case example mentioned above illustrates
the electrical contractor wanting to replace the AFCI breaker with a standard thermal
magnetic circuit breaker which is one way to bypass the technology. It is the only
documented case of this activity to date. Anecdotal examples are available but not
reliable.
Another way to bypass the technology is by the use of extension cords to operate
equipment that may appear to be tripping the AFCI. This activity is usually a temporary
activity until the problem is found and the circuit again operates effectively. Thermal
magnetic circuit breakers cannot find problems in connected appliances and so this
equipment appears to operating without problem until investigated. There are two
documented cases of AFCIs finding appliance and fixture problems. One of these two
examples resulted in a CPSC recall of the product in question. They are included in the
examples attached to this document. The CPSC recall can be located at the following
URL: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12197.html
1. J. Hall. “Home Electrical Fires” National Fire Protection Association Fire Analysis and
Research Division, Jan. 2012.
2. “Home Fires Involving Electrical Distribution and Lighting Equipment – 2010” National
Fire Protection Association, Jan. 2012.
3. G. Winstanley. “Arc Fault Detection: Your Questions Answered” Electrical Construction and
Maintenance Magazine, November 1, 2007
6
CUSTOMER THANK YOU LETTER
Page 1 of 2
7
CUSTOMER THANK YOU LETTER
Page 2 of 2
80 years of excellence
Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter
Found Problems
80 years of excellence
AFCI’s avert potential disaster in South Carolina “I would like to take the time and thank you for the Arc Fault breaker, your product saved our lives and our home.”
•Homeowner built house in 2005; experienced AFCI Tripping
•Advised to replace AFCI’s with Standard Breakers
•Homeowner worked with the manufacturer and a contractor
to locate the problem
•Electrical contractor located arcing in the home run circuit
•During troubleshooting, gas leaks found in the vicinity of
the damaged conductors
•The wire was shredded due to being pulled through a jagged
hole drilled in a gusset plate
•AFCI Breaker averted disaster
“So, because the AFCI breaker was doing it’s job, its
relentless and nerve racking tripping saved my family’s life
(myself, my wife, and 2 daughters) both from fire and from
gas explosion since I had an arcing wire and a gas leak! Not
to mention saving my home and its valuable contents. Thank
you very much for the Arc Fault breaker. It did its job and
saved our lives.”
80 years of excellence
Pennsylvania renovation reveals arcing wire in wall “Without the AFCIs, the faulty wiring may not have been discovered for some time and worse, could have caused a fire in the wall…”
•Home built in 1979 in Hampton Township, PA
•Homeowner chose to do a significant
renovation in June of 2001
•Upgraded electrical service to include AFCI’s
•Kitchen AFCI tripped
•Troubleshooting revealed stripped conductor
in kitchen wall
“As a result, I’m now a big fan of AFCI breakers
and would recommend them to anyone as
original or replacement equipment. Why take
a chance? “
80 years of excellence
AFCI stops fire hazard from stapled wire “Fortunately, the wires running up out of the panel in the garage, they found the issue…”
•Home run from Electrical panel
inadvertently stapled in wall
•AFCI Tripping identified issue before other
damage could occur
Effective operation of breaker, coupled with
good troubleshooting by electrical
contractor, eliminated hazard.
80 years of excellence
AFCI detects damaged NM Insulation Damage to the cable feeding the master bedroom, exposed by the AFCI. •AFCI feeding the master bedroom
receptacle outlets began tripping 3 years
after renovation
•12-2 cable was stapled to a floor joist using
cable staples like the ones in the photo
•Outer sheath indicated a hammer mark
•Cable sheath removed to reveal the hot and
neutral wires had shorted, there was
charring inside the outer sheath.
Fire hazard was discovered only because
the Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter was able to
detect the short in the cable.
80 years of excellence
Arc Fault Breakers:
worth it or just another government imposed rule? Idaho code requires new homes be equipped with arc fault breakers in every bedroom.
•Arc Fault breaker intermittently tripping
•Troubleshooting techniques enabled
contractor to narrow it down to the damaged
wire
•Wire had been struck by a finish nail in a
closet rod holder
•Nail piercing was causing a small arc
between the wire and the nail.
“Having the arc fault breaker installed
certainly helped to prevent any damage to
the home and its occupants.”
80 years of excellence
Contractor Careless “Fix” “My wife and I are very lucky that I stumbled onto the problem. What if we were away and a fire had started? We could have lost the house, or worse, what if we had been at home asleep?”
•73 year old home upgraded to 200Amp service with AFCIs on every
circuit
•At the end of the installation, contractor told homeowner that one
of the AFCI’s kept tripping, but he “fixed” the problem
•Ceiling light in a bedroom was out and new bulb immediately blew
out
•Homeowner discovered the fixture had a threaded porcelain socket
that loosened over time allowing the socket to rotate and the hot
and neutral wire to twist near where the insulation was stripped
•There is no question that arcing was happening because of the
missing pieces of wire, bubbled and retracted insulation, charred
wallpaper, and small bits of copper sprayed around.
•Homeowner then discovered contractor had replaced the tripping
AFCI with a conventional breaker.
“Our electrical contractor’s “fix” was to replace the
AFCI protecting that circuit with a conventional breaker.
I think he missed the point.”
80 years of excellence
Decorative lamp caused fire hazard An AFCI detected a series arc in a lamp before any damage could be done.
•Resident of an apartment complex experienced
intermittent tripping on one of the AFCI breakers
•Electrician discovered arcing between the light
bulb and socket of a decorative lamp.
Combination AFCI’s detect Series Arcs in a circuit
to protect against faulty electrical devices.
80 years of excellence
Ceiling Mounted Light Fixtures Recalled by Thomas Lighting
Due to Fire and Shock Hazards Thomas Lighting has received 11 reports of defective fixtures which resulted in the home’s Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter tripping.
•Name of product: Thomas Lighting ceiling flush mount light
fixtures
•Units: About 83,750
•Manufacturer: Thomas Lighting, of Elgin, Ill; part of Philips
Consumer Luminaires Corporation, of Elgin, Ill.
•Hazard: The fixture's socket wire insulation can degrade, leading
to charged wires becoming exposed, causing electricity to pass to
the metal canopy of the fixture. This poses a fire and electric shock
hazard to consumers.
•Incidents/Injuries: Thomas Lighting has received 11 reports of
defective fixtures which resulted in the home's Arc Fault Circuit
Interrupter (AFCI) tripping. No injuries have been reported to the
firm.
AFCI breakers detect faulty light fixtures which are
determined to be hazardous.