Arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI)

Electrical · Lights, Outlets and Switches · printed page 104 (PDF page 105)

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Book index entries

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter

Text in the illustration

AFCIs look for abnormal current and voltage patterns
the AFCI circuitry within the outlet checks constantly for a difference between the current in the black and white wires
if there is a difference of at least 30 milliamps, there is a current leak and the AFCI shuts off the outlet and all outlets downstream
note:
if the AFCI is in the panel, the entire circuit will be shut down
black (hot) wire
white (neutral) wire
ground wire
current going in
current coming out
TEST
RESET
AFCI

Generated explanation

The illustration shows a duplex receptacle labeled AFCI with TEST and RESET buttons and connected hot, neutral, and ground wires. Arrows indicate current entering along the black hot wire and returning along the white neutral wire. The annotations describe monitoring abnormal current and voltage patterns, comparing hot and neutral currents, and shutting off the receptacle and downstream outlets when a specified leakage threshold is reached. A note contrasts this with an AFCI installed in the panel, which shuts down the entire circuit. The current-imbalance and 30-milliamp explanation is presented as printed figure content, rather than a general definition of AFCI arc-detection operation.

Related illustrations

0586

Arc fault circuit interrupter

· p. 99

The illustration shows an arc fault circuit interrupter breaker connected to a 120 volt duplex receptacle. Both the white load neutral wire and the black load power wire run between the breaker and the receptacle. A sepa