Arc-fault circuit interrupter: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added
Line 36:
AFCIs are designed to protect against fires caused by electrical arc faults. While the sensitivity of the AFCIs helps in the detection of arc faults, these breakers can also indicate false positives by identifying normal circuit behaviors as arc faults. For instance, lightning strikes provide voltage and current profiles that resemble arc faults, and vacuum cleaners and some laser printers trip AFCIs. This nuisance tripping reduces the overall effectiveness of AFCIs. Research into advancements in this area is being pursued.<ref>Stephenson, James, Ph.D. "[http://cdn.livewireinnovation.com/pdf/aas-conference-paper-upload.pdf Eliminating False Positives in the Detection and Location of sub 3ms Faults on AC/DC Lines] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925205045/http://cdn.livewireinnovation.com/pdf/aas-conference-paper-upload.pdf |date=September 25, 2015 }}" presented at the 2011 Aircraft Airworthiness & Sustainment Conference on April 19, 2011.</ref>
 
AFCIs are also known to be sensitive (false tripping) to the presence of radio frequency energy, especially within the so-called ''[[high frequency]]'' (HF) spectrum (3-30&nbsp;MHz), which includes legitimate [[Shortwave radio|shortwave broadcasting]], over-the-horizon aircraft and marine communications, [[amateur radio]], and [[citizens band radio]] operations. Sensitivities and mitigation have been known since 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-helps-manufacturer-to-resolve-arc-fault-circuit-interrupter-rfi-problems |title=ARRL Helps Manufacturer to Resolve Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter RFI Problems |website=Arrl.org |date=2013-11-19 |access-date=2017-03-28}}</ref>
 
AFCI circuit breakers include a standard inverse-time circuit breaker but provide no specific protection against ''glowing'' connections also known as a [[high resistance connection]], high line voltages or low line voltages.