AFCI Circuit Breaker?

Question

I'm having an issue with the AFCI Circuit Breaker. It would randomly trip (once every month or so), It worries me cause there are not much items that are in the bed room except for a computer and APC backup power supply. It tripped twice while I was on the computer and a couple of times when I was out of the room with nothing in use. How should I approach this issue to troubleshoot the problem?

Answer 1

Who is the manufacturer of the breaker?

If its Square D there was a recall of some of their first AFCI's. These were shown to not trip on an arc fault but would function as a regular breaker. I don't know if nuisance trips were a problem with these.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/recalls04/square_d.html

Answer 2

An AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) will trip if it senses the current in the signature of an arc. There are three potential problems. 1. Something on the circuit is causing it to trip.(Ceiling fan, vacuum cleaner, or other appliance or fixture. 2. A lot of the first AFCI breakers have been recalled. Having said that, the best thing to do is replace the breaker first. Also make sure it is not directly next another AFCI, they seem to work better when spaced apart. 3. The wiring is bad in the walls or at a device, such as a receptacle outlet. A loose connection somewhere in the circuit can cause this. If you cannot fix the problem by replacing the breaker or finding out what load is the problem, I would call a reputable electrical service company. Ask for an upfront price or you can easily get ripped off. AFCI is relatively new technology and most in the electrical industry have not caught up.

Answer 3

Any breaker has only so many times it can be tripped before it won't hold> Get a new 1>