The latest proposal (via Joe Tedesco's informaion) to change the requirements of the arc-fault circuit interrupter requirements for 15 and 20-ampere branch circuits in dwelling units from the present day requirements of bedroom circuits only to basically every living space in the home (to include closets), with the exception of all areas requiring ground-fault circuit interrupters, is posted below;

Builders are going to love this...

210.12(B) Dwelling Units

Dwelling Units. All 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere branch circuits supplying outlets installed in dwelling unit family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sun rooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways , or similar rooms or areas shall be protected by a listed arc-fault circuit interrupter, combination-type installed to provide protection of the branch circuit.

From the perspective of the inspection requirements, this will absolutely require additional time and efforts on our part to verify the installation and operation of each.

One of the questions I have is this;
Unlike the 1999 NEC that specified that Jan1, 2002 will be the required enforcement date of the entire bedroom circuit with afci protection, will they (NEC) again ammend the code to implement an enforcement date for all new construction?

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"If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?"
Richard Rushing, HCRI
Duncanville, Tx.

The issue seems to be moot ... that is, the answer is already determined.

As Joe states, the 2008 NEC will likely greatly expand AFCI requirements. We wonk "KNOW" for sure until the code is actually published.

I am not aware of the NEC adding any deferred date, as they did in the '99 code. The requirement will become part of the NEC when published.

Yet, the NEC is not 'law' until it is adopted by your local jurisdiction. There are many places still operating under the 1976 NEC, or that have their own code, or that amend the NEC. So the AFCI requirements are not a 'slam dunk' by any means.

Even were the AFCI requirements adopted, they cannot be applied to plans already approved ..... so many places will be completed next year for which the AFCI requirement would not apply.

I hope the AFCI makers have filled up a panel with AFCI's and tested the panel in a hot garage or exterior (in the sun) to see how they work at high temperatures for several years. (Actually, they just plan on selling lots of new ones when the originals go bad.)

One county near here does not require any AFCI's yet.

Another does not allow them on smoke detector circuits.

And that is very short sighted thinking - they have not thought the scenario through.

Regarding the heat they produce and the heat's interaction with the panel, the manufacturers are aware of that, and the new designs do not(supposedly anyway) draw the same current as the old designs, thus they do not generate as much heat as the older designs.

Whether or not the new designs are sufficiently lower in heat generation, we can only wait and see.

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Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

AFCI information here and where you can send feedback:

AFCISafety.org :: Home

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Joe Tedesco

Sounds like the square-D (or whoever) lobbyists are hard at work (follow the money trail).

Joe T.,

Glad to see you here.

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Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

Jerry:

Glad to be here, and I see that you are still at it.

There are two exceptions to 210.12(B) proposed for the 2008 NEC, one has to do with the combo unit 01/01/08, as the first device in the run beyond the panelboard when rge circuit is in a raceway with no length restriction, and the other gives permission to avoid the AFCI protection for a SD, etc., when the circuit is in a RMC. IMC, or EMT, or AC cable an on its own "individual" branch circuit.

PS: My collection of old books is for sale, just in case you are interested.

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Joe Tedesco

Joe,

Send me a list of what you have to jerrypeck@cfl.rr.com, if I am missing some that you have, I might be interested in them.

Thanks.

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Jerry Peck, Construction / Litigation Consultant
Construction Litigation Consultants, LLC ( www.ConstructionLitigationConsultants.com )

I am looking for Hansen's electrical inspection of existing dwellings. If you have a copy you want to sell, e-mail me at
fritz@kellyhomeinspection.com
Thanks