Demystification of Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupters: Part I: Beginning of the Odyssey

Abstract

Residential fires of electrical origin have been a major concern for a long time. A fire can be initiated by excessive current (due to an overload or a short circuit) or arcing current. Therefore, both the Canadian Electrical Code (CE Code) Part I and the National Electrical Code (NEC) require the installation of overcurrent protection devices (OCPDs) to detect and clear excessive current. Conversely, arcing current is too low for OCPDs to detect. It could take an electric arc minutes, days, weeks, months, or even years to initiate a fire. Therefore, a new solution was required for detecting those slowly developing arcs. Thus, arc-fault circuit-interrupters (AFCIs) were born. AFCIs are capable of detecting an arcing condition (while still developing) and de-energizing the circuit before the arcing circuit ignites.