Ive heard about a new kind of breaker, Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters. What are they and do I need them?
Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCI) are designed to detect early signs of trouble in a circuit and turn off the circuit to prevent possible fires. They are required by the Massachusetts Electrical Code in some situations, like newly constructed bedrooms. If there is a loose connection in a wire in your wall or in something you’ve plugged in, there may be small sparks that could start a fire. The sparks affect the shape of the 60 cycle waves in your electricity in very specific ways. AFCIs have electronics to detect this change, the signature of sparking (or arcing) and turn off the power more quickly than circuit breakers.
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- Ive heard about a new kind of breaker, Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters. What are they and do I need them?
