Arc Fault Breaker Keeps Tripping! How To Fix It!

Arc Fault Breakers: amzn.to/46uH2am
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In this video we go through the process of how to find the cause of tripping on an arc fault (AFCI) breaker.
Thanks for watching and subscribing! As an Amazon affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks for your support!
Blessings,
Ben

[@gary4739]

I'm going to ask my wife to watch the last minute of this vid, particularly at 14:45 to 15:20. This will help her understand I’m not the only one with long range plans!

[@osagesinger]

I was thinking the same thing!!! 😂😅

[@johnborges5938]

Good luck with that ….

[@mmartinez0518]

I watch your videos all the time I has learned so much thanks for such an amazing teaching.

[@joshg1244]

We just had a bunch of renovations and our electrician installed the Commercial electric brand and they seem good so far. He said he trusts them and have been reliable for him.

[@noelwhyte9834]

You just helped me trun an 8 hour job into 3 hours 👍🏾🙏🏾 customer is very happy

[@kennethkaminski3438]

Good job explaining this type problem, which is fairly new.

[@DriverDude100]

I’ve had good luck with Halo (Cooper) recessed LED trims. I like Feit, but I’ve had many of their bare LED bulbs (not trims) die prematurely. Feit’s warranty replacement has been excellent, so I don’t hesitate to buy their product.

[@teardowndan5364]

A faster diagnostic method with fewer trips back to the breaker box is to unplug everything, turn the breaker back on, then see which thing trips the breaker when plugged back in. Only one breaker box trip unless you have multiple faulty devices.

[@40arpent]

I recently had a combo breaker fail on me. It was for the countertop outlets in the kitchen. Took me a few weeks to get to the bottom of it. I isolated the homerun the first day I noticed but it was still tripping and then I sat on it for a few weeks. Finally thought about testing the breaker itself. Its a little over 2 years old so it didn't come to mind at first.

[@cengeb]

a combo breaker is.........one that trips on series or parallel arc.....not a GFCI AFCI

[@sterlingelmasri9421]

Thanks for the video troubleshooting an archfult braker My favorite led brand is ensenior their not the cheapest, but their the best .thanks brother

[@karlvondrak6080]

Good video, After unplugging the 2nd light, I would have just left the light switch on and see if it would have tripped right away, saving maybe an extra trip up and down. Nice neat wiring in that house, what are the red/orange things holding wires together on joist. I like how the wires were run and staples staggered to give nice appearance. I understand time is money and on a job stie they would take time like that, just get the wire ran. several code violation on the panel easily noticeable right away, surprised no one else has mentioned it.

[@zekenzy6486]

Great Video. Thank you for sharing

[@DS-mz7dy]

Good troubleshooting and I really like the coffee cup on top of the panel!

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

😂 I have no idea how that ended up there!

[@ralph5450]

It's a tip jar.

[@TOMReefer]

Great video! Well done!

[@ehsnils]

Nice presentation. I have been looking around now a bit for combined arc fault and ground fault breakers and realized that they are expensive. I do consider that some equipment like refrigerators and freezers might be better of by avoiding the arc fault since they go on and off with thermostats that can cause arcs without being a problem. In any case it seems like the ABB DS-ARC1 would be a good choice for where I live. Only catch is that the amount of arc fault devices for 400V 3-phase seems limited.

[@Eddy63]

Good vid and I see that you live by the ole Creed , Happy Wife , Happy Life Thx

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

You bet!

[@drewlichty3212]

I agree with you about that feit brand. I’ve had similar problems. But yes cheaper when faced with an expensive purpose.

[@briantayes2418]

I have found Sunco products to be very high quality. I have installed their downlights, led tubes, E26 bulbs and 2 grow lights. I will be relighting my shop with their 4' lights next month. I haven't had one go bad and they also offer 4K versions. They have a 7 year warranty and they are an American company.

[@HGR693]

Hello Ben, Enjoy your videos. I installed two large LED panels in my workshop. The building is fully insulated and I ran all wiring inside the gray watertight conduit. Overkill I know. So, I decided to use an ARCFAULT breaker just for these two overhead lights. Even though my mancave is climate controlled, every once in a while that breaker would trip as soon as I flipped the switch. I called and was passed upchannel to an electrical engineer at the company that makes the QO breakers. We ran some test on the breaker, but all appeared good. So, I running out of answers, I did some further trouble shooting . The roof in my mancave is metal. Same as used in modern pole building. Above, fully R47 blown in insulation. I used plastic gray looking receptical boxes, and locking plugs on the ends of the light cords. Turned off the circuit, and noticed that one of the receptacle tabs (metal), was touching the metal roof. What do you know? ... once I broke off that tab, I haven't had that tripping again. Called back the engineer, and he was dumbfounded! We surmised that there was enough ground current flowing between the receptical and the roof area, that the breaker would trip. * I have put up four JUNO LED flat plated light under the porch of my workshop. They work very nicely, and are extremely easy to install. Additionally, each light has a controller that allows you to set the (k), daylight, more yellow, or wavelength. Great product. Thanks again for all of your videos. Keep it up

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's super interesting. Neat that QO has engineers you can actually get in contact with!

[@YUshakov]

Hello @HGR693, The RCD should have trip off in this case, if I understand the situation correctly. Of course, the AFCI can respond to a parallel phase-to-ground arc fault. But that's the RCD's area of responsibility in the first place, I suppose.

[@throttlebottle5906]

sounds to me like you have a bad light or moisture ingress somewhere it shouldn't be, causing a current leak from either a hot or neutral to the ground. assuming you have ground wires! if no grounds exist then it could be capacitive inductance from the lights internals themselves causing leakage to the ground and out the roof. something is silly there for sure, maybe even current leaking into the roof via somewhere/something else or nearby power transmission lines?

[@chrisdestry5394]

I have used Juno and have had good luck with them. Good quality and packaged well.

[@throttlebottle5906]

@@chrisdestry5394 I hope they're still decent, since they were bought out in 2015. unsure if I've installed any after that date, but probably many in small numbers.

[@joelabramson7214]

Hey Ben, really enjoy your content. I noticed the fixture that was bad was located in your shower area. I think moisture from the steam in that area could have caused your arcing problem. Try replacing the fixture with one that is rated for damp/moist locations. Keep up the good work. 👍

[@cachamp203]

Better quality lights that are rated for damp areas usually come with a foam gasket as well. The gasket fills the gap between the light and your ceiling to fill any imperfections. That one didn’t have one so I’d venture to guess your assessment is correct.

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

I believe these were rated for damp locations. I'm going to double-check.

[@robertcable2963]

Damp location with a gasket

[@johnstewartrichards5922]

@@BenjaminSahlstroma shower is not a damp location. It is a wet location.

[@adamb4937]

That is incorrect. The light fixture on the shower ceiling is not being saturated with water. They are subject to moderate degrees of moisture which would fall under the definition of a damp location under the NEC. A wet location would require the fixture to be saturated with water or other liquids.

[@EK--ry3lr]

Thanks for posting

[@dporrasxtremeLS3]

Benjamin, you have very interesting Videos! Thanks! Subscribed way back!

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

Thanks for being here! Really appreciate it!!

[@michaelreeves8164]

A good explainer.

[@andrewulrich6612]

New built spec house. We kept having a arc fault trip on the dishwasher/garbage disposal circuit. Turned out that the Frigidaire brand dishwasher had a relay that would cause a trip as that spark happened. The relay spark is normal. So we found ourselves in a situation were we weren't going to replace the dishwasher which was perfectly fine. We decided to just eliminate the arc fault breaker .

[@Ariccio123]

Stick a surge protector on the outlet. That will work without sacrificing the protection for the upstream wiring.

[@andrewulrich6612]

@@Ariccio123 the dishwasher is hard wired with a outlet off that for the garbage disposal.

[@Ariccio123]

@@andrewulrich6612 I feel like there's a problem with a new built house with a hardwired dishwasher!

[@andrewulrich6612]

​​​@@Ariccio123the installation manual allows for either. And that isn't the issue. FRIGIDAIRE design in combination with a arc detection beaker is the issue. The builder had the same issue with two other spec houses and FRIGIDAIRE dishwashers. To ne it's a simple fix. Replace the arc fault with a standard ground fault breaker. ARC fault breakers trip a lot with brushed motors as well. We had an older vacuum we couldn't use. It also kept tripping them.

[@ndear2955]

I have Phillips Hue replacement lights similar to yours and they are great so far! (2 years)

[@elevdude]

I agree with your accessement of FEIT led lamps. Ace Hardware carries those and I had all kinds of issues with them. I found their warranty was not very friendly as they wanted the original packaging and reciepts to replace any faulty lamps. Good luck finding that after a number of years. I also agree with the installation of the standard recessed lighting fixtures versus the LED units. I always want to have options on replacing the lamps only instead the complete fixture if the unit goes bad or your significant other wants a different look. I really enjoy your videos. Its funny to see all the bare romex in your videos as we have to run everyting in EMT in Northern Illinois.

[@erbewayne6868]

Menards carries the brand also.

[@tedspens]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure smashing the like button did the trick. 🤣👍 My solution to troubleshooting electrical is to call an electrician, but it's still good to know this stuff. I never knew a GFCI from an arc fault interrupter and now I do. Great video! Thanks!

[@dankelley9361]

Nice troubleshooting technique, I thought that the switch would be the problem. I’ve had good luck with the HALO brand.

[@brianbush9453]

I've had very good luck with Amico LEDs off Amazon... 100s installed and only 1 has had issues to date. Halo from home Depot also have been very reliable but cost a bit more.

[@andyh9382]

We’ve had great luck with “Juno” brand. We’ve always found them at lowes. Their price jumped to 6 for $140 this year. Singles used to be $20 now their $35 not in the big box. But they’ve done really well for us. I’ll keep paying the price

[@belalugrisi1614]

Cree Retrofit downlights have been reliable for me, and have great color rendering and warrantee.

[@markross6182]

Utilitec 4" canless. More than 20 installed. 1 over a walk-in shower several on dimmers. Zero problems over 3 years. Love selecting light temperature.

[@ystebadvonschlegel3295]

I had an AFCI that kept tripping. Went through all kinds of troubleshooting as it went to my server room - read all kinds of things about computer power supplies causing them to trip, etc. In the end there was a loose screw on the outlet. Electrician tightened it and never tripped since!

[@Garth2011]

The Feit brand is good. Compare their products with others and you will find they have a decent price point and much value when compared to other brands. Just 8 years ago or so we purchased R40 LED lamps that were $15 each...today, they are maybe $3 each. No issues with them yet and we have about 41 of them in our home. Those "arc fault" breakers are likely about the same as those GFI receptacles for bathrooms and kitchens as well as outdoor receptacles...a pain in the ass. It would make some sense if we had a lot of fires or injuries that were because of "fault circuits" but I'd bet we do not and just one or two large legal cases came up through the courts where someone had an isolated problem which forced the industry to make these changes. Those and most fixtures have protections built into them, so the breaker is the weaker of the two protections causing the entire circuit to open. Thanks for the review....

[@JCWise-sf9ww]

Very well done, troubleshooting the arc fault problem of narrowing it down to what was causing it. It's good that electrical safety codes is a top concern, but all these modern solid state electronics in the breaker panel and cheaply made LED lights can cause a lot of buzz on your AM radio receivers in the house. That is just as important that these devices do not disrupt other electronics in the house. I had the experience of tracing AM radio buzz to arc fault breakers, that were first on the market, manufacturer corrected the issue in later production of them. I have seen LED's causing the buzz noise on AM too.

[@cengeb]

AM radio, what's that? connected to your rotary phone?

[@cengeb]

@@JCWise-sf9ww Have you heard of COLOR television...it's pretty good, try it...indoor toilets too

[@cengeb]

@@JCWise-sf9ww It's 2023 not 1963...come on over

[@tedmlove]

Good information, thanks! I have a question about a different topic. I live in a 60’s home that has no ground in my outlets so can I drive a copper rod and use that to add a ground or do I need to wire back to the fuse box? My boxes are metal but they are not grounded… thanks

[@fredsalter1915]

Great vid! Shouldn't you have a vent fan above that shower? Thanks!

[@wiebowesterhof]

Cheap LED lights tend to be overdriven (more), but for areas where the lights are not on for long periods of time like perhaps cupboards or the likes, cheap is probably just fine. For kitchens and shower areas, I'd stick a higher quality light in though. Where I live we don't have ARC fault breakers yet, but it is good to avoid problems long term as wiring ages and equipment may develop faults over time.

[@John-dp3ln]

Amazed that a secondary arc event (after rectifier, capacitor and regulator) would be detected in feed side enough to trip breaker. Would not have guessed that but evidence indicates that this is true. Nice job.

[@TofuInc]

The led driver on those does't isolate the LEDs from the line side, so the noise generated by the arc is easily feed back into the line side and caught by the detection circuit.

[@drinkorswim]

Have you used the tell-tale feature of the breaker? It will indicate 1 of 3 conditions that caused the trip. Arc fault line to line, arc fault line to ground, or basic overload. Without resetting the breaker, just close it. Then test, the indication trip will be either instant, 3 seconds, or 5 seconds. The breaker will not be conducting until it is properly reset.

[@m3rdpwr]

I have similar fixtures made by HALO. They're really heavy, compared to the newer versions. They have been installed for many, many years.

[@Ender_Wiggin]

I know this is a bit off topic but i noticed you had some great natural gas to propane videos. Do you know if it is possible or doable to just get a regulator that mixes air with the propane to make natural gas equivalent but with only propane as the source? This would be great during blackouts.

[@sammyjimsmith6100]

Some motors like hair dryers use brushes and spark when runnning, also led lights usually have electronic ccts which could simulate arcing

[@demiurgiac]

Ben, typical homeowner here with a skill set above dangerous but no better than amateur. So recently we noticed the garbage disposal started occasionally tripping the arc fault breaker. Then got progressively worse until today it tripped almost every time it was turned on. (All the components are about 4 years old.) So looking to save the cost of an electrician call I read what I could on-line. Armed with a little knowledge and Kentucky windage I did the 'normal' stuff. When I pulled the off/on switch I couldn't help but wonder if where the quick disconnect "push in" wire is both held in place by the little "leaf spring" and also where the electrical connection is made, could be an issue. So I pulled out the wires and reconnected them using the side terminal screws. Time will tell but after repeated cycles the breaker no longer trips. While I am not totally convinced this is what fixed it, seems kinda reasonable to assume it might have. That was a long-winded lead in to my question. Have you ever heard of this being an issue with arc fault breakers? If not, what do you think of my theory?

[@tedlahm5740]

Ben. A new video. long time no see. Question: Why would we have an arc fault only breaker On a circuit? PS. which TYPE of arc fault breaker is on the lighting circuit? thank you

[@stevew9585]

I went with Sylvania, so far so good.

[@ricb1261]

really like your video's - do those recessed LED's comply with NEC 410.10(D)2

[@Starwarsgames66]

I did Philips Hue recessed lighting retrofit, and I haven’t had one issue.

[@mattv5281]

My girlfriend's hair dryer had a worn out cord, and it started arcing in the cord. It was popping and glowing bright enough to see through the insulation. My fancy AFCI/GFCI breaker for the bathroom didn't care and let it go until it started smoking. I unplugged it before it filled the house with toxic smoke.

[@sccpsteve]

07:30 Buy leviton or eaton commercial grade edison retrofit downlights. I have eatons that have lasted for a decade so far. No issues. Has been here before we moved in.

[@danmac2925]

I’ve had good luck with Ensenior 4” LED from Amazon. $55 for 4. I installed them in closets, so not heavy use. They also have 6” version.

[@smileymac8017]

Can it be a switch or the wiring on the switch that would trip an arc fault breaker?

[@8joh58]

Question, I watched your video for bypass low pressure on refrigeration walk-in box, it’s won’t short the circuit? When u bypass the pressure? And why 🙏

[@briantii]

I’ve had enough arc fault breakers fail with nuisance trips that it’s the very first thing that comes to mind. Eaton Arc Fault breakers from 2010 - 2015 ish seem to be very trip happy.. at least at my house.

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

I haven't had any of the Square D ones fail for me yet. I'm sure I'll eventually get to experience it though...

[@briantii]

@@BenjaminSahlstromI’ve had MUCH better luck with Eatons newer ones that do both GFCI and combo AFCI. They’re pricey though. Ugh. I think Square D maybe better. Glad yours are working well and good to see you had a real issue that it worked to protect you from. I hear a lot of folks hate these for nuisance trips and just get rid of them. Personally I like them despite the cost just for the potential protection that you found. Great video and thank you!

[@musketmerve1436]

I’m a Phillips guy.

[@John-dp3ln]

All made in China anyway but maybe some better than others. I too had good results with Phillips.

[@drooplug]

Yeah. I've found Philips to be the best as well. They last and are generally nicer designs.

[@mrrice117]

Agreed

[@tunnelwind1]

quick question im changing out a sub panel inside the house. but the wire from the main to the old sub looks to be a #10 cooper. it dont look right to me what size wire should i use cooper or aluminum. it s a 50ft. run. im going to put a 200 amp panel in.

[@laurijorgenson6683]

Thanks for the video Ben. Love your work. I’m having similar issues in my pole building with LED canopy lights (plug in to receptacles)bought on Amazon. Irritating to say the least. I’ve tried simply pulling them one by one and as soon as I get to more than three of them, it trips. And it can be different trios too so not one common denominator. On a different circuit I’m also having tripping when I try to use the table saw. As soon as I turn it on, it trips. So I have some investigating to do. Could be cheap product on the lights (or in rush current?). Any tips from anyone would be appreciated. Thanks for the video, as always! Oh and your wife’s comment about it taking two months or so (you brought it up so bravo on you), it reminds me of the saying the shoemakers kids have no shoes. The electricians family has no light. 😂

[@throttlebottle5906]

if the arc fault/combo breakers are over about four years old, I'd simply try replacing one of them and see if the issue goes away. most of the older ones were prone to false tripping. also if they're straight AFCI and there's GFCI receptacles, those are known to cause random AFCI tripping when large/high surge current loads are turned on, usually solved by using new AFCI/GFCI combo breakers and dumping the GFCI receptacles. I had some with that exact issue, when turning a hair dryer on/off, even with the GFCI receptacle tripped it still affected it. they were older Square D/Eaton/cutler hammer, so not just one brand.

[@ptso7580]

Any type of motor will trip arc fault. GFCI and AFCI breakers sense a disturbance on the neutral and power aide. Start looking at neutral connectors. Make sure connections are tight I stopped buying stuff on Amazon. Had a few Wagos go bad. Ordered them on Amazon. If you don't live or have guest quarters in your pole barn you don't need AFCI in that building.

[@atschirner]

Ben, I had the opportunity to tour the Square D plant in Lincoln Nebraska recently. Thay manufacture 15 and 20 amp single pole breakers from raw materials. If you have the chance to visit it would be an amazing video to share with your viewers.

[@jeffschroeder4805]

I have had light switches bzzt just a split second when turning them on or off (2 or 3 way mostly) so I replace them figuring something inside is probably arcing. Would you consider that the switch might have been the culprit before trying to trace the wiring?

[@edvaioli7340]

I certainly would never overlook the switch itself. After all, it is a make/break device which invites arcing.

[@lithgowlights859]

I usually test mine yearly (January sometime) when I replace the batteries in the smoke detectors. I test using both the test button AND I have a plug in test item that has 2 buttons, one that draws 30A (240V here) which should immediately trip any circuit as they are 16 or 20A breakers, and the second button draws 40mA to earth, which is over the 30mA fault level required here. I have had one breaker fail the earth leakage test and got replaced 2 or 3 years ago.

[@NotSexualAtAll]

Do you have a whole house surge protecting device?

[@VickyTalks999]

Hii !!! I NEED HELP I was trying to use my hairdryer, my room outlet tripped. It isnot turning on should I reset or give some time … please let me know

[@stevem6711]

Ben, can you have an Arc Fault Breaker start to go bad? I have a 20 amp breaker feeding some outlets in my kitchen and branched to my office. I run an espresso coffee machine in the kitchen and it occasionally trips the AF breaker. The coffee machine does not draw 20 amps by any means. The only other item on the circuit are a router and network switch plugged up. Seems like there wouldn't be anything anywhere close to 20 amps being drawn. I'm just wondering if this AF breaker is bad.

[@helmanfrow]

1:30 I'm pretty sure the reason arc fault breakers got written into the code was kickbacks from the breaker manufacturers to the policy makers.

[@markvanbritsom4209]

Insurance underwriters we’re the cause

[@josephbrabenderiii2049]

I personally view this as action by contractors (who actually behind the writing of code), to implement a total requirement for AF breakers (once reliable), then allow aluminum conductors back into residential (aluminum conductor alloys that don't require paste are in the supply chain now). Thus, being held responsible for incompetent wiring will no longer be an issue.

[@markvanbritsom4209]

@@josephbrabenderiii2049 being old enough to tell you I installed small amounts of aluminum household romex and all the subsequent years fixing all the early 1970’s installation of that type of wiring I can say aluminum should only be used on larger ampacity circuits 40 amps and up with proper upsizing if in conduit or underground or long distance run, copper must stay for 30 and below, aluminum is simply to brittle and it’s expansion and contraction rates are such that over time any connections will loosen up much more than copper, I started in 1972 and by 1978 houses were already burning down and have loads of connection problems, I must have gone through a couple hundred houses pigtailing every aluminum terminating point and changing to copper with antioxidant compound in the wire nuts, it was a nightmare back then, and the aluminum wire went along well with the federal panels and breakers that would never trip, what a great combo they made LOL

[@drwhoeric]

My best bang for the buck have been Commercial Electric. Most now have Color Selection.

[@jspafford]

I’ve had good luck with a house full of Lithonia Lighting 4BEMW 30K M6 LED Recessed Downlighting. Have had 0 of 74 I have in a new build work fine for the last 7 years. Have survived a lot of lightning strikes and they work well with dimmers including Lutron’s smart dimmers. Some even are fine with wet environments. Also Phillips hue down lights. They’re expensive but Home Depot has amazing hue sales. Found the 4 inch hue color down light for $14.99 yesterday. Normally goes for $60.

[@cade861]

We've had excellent luck with progress or we also use rab

[@mrrice117]

Philips and WIZ, both have been solid

[@TofuInc]

I have some OSTWIN brand kits that I used that have held up now going on 3 years. I think they are made by ASD Lighting, they are sold through a lot of retail stores.

[@ericshepherd8466]

I would agree with Phillips and/or Rabb.

[@steveb6371]

You should have grounded the light fixture also. The problem may have arcing to ground.

[@cheapswede]

Since LED lights run off of 12 volt DC, but they have to convert 120v AC to DC wasting some energy in the form of heat, wouldn’t it be more efficient for builders to start running 12V DC lighting circuits in new homes? It could run from a converter mounted next to the breaker panel or even be incorporated into the panel. RVs use this method.

[@-Nick-T]

its comming, soon enough DC power will reign within most homes. some high rises i have wired have dc throughout for lighting.

[@publicmail2]

I oil my compressor tools daily (as indicated on tools) whether I use them or not, along with ARC fault breakers, GFCI's, appliances with GFCI's, and test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors...Takes about 40-45 mins.

[@throttlebottle5906]

do not oil unused tools, the oil will build up and cause issues, like gumming and spraying out all over. it's wise to oil and run them a bit before putting them away each time though.

[@waltkeyes57]

Right. I do too, along with carefully reading all my prescription documentation and double checking the list of contraindicated/drug interaction meds, as well as updating the spreadsheet with my meds' expiration dates. That takes about 90 minutes, usually after the checking breakers, GFCI outlet test buttons, and oiling my pneumatic tools. Then I carefully review my owner's manuals for the vehicles, compare the odometer readings with the list I force my family to make of the duration of their vehicle trips versus outside temperature (short trips require more frequent oil changes), and make the correct notations in another spreadsheet I keep on a separate computer and separate network (never can tell if you'll have a laptop fail or have a network failure). Then I carefully shower, being sure to use the rubber mat, which gets hung after being towelled-dry to resist mildew (air quality issues), and go to bed after prayers that the wiring or mildew won't get me. Then I do it all again. Seriously, who does any of this other than occasionally? You have a great channel. Quite practical/helpful for others of us in your shoes who have not yet run across the particular issues you showcase (or have but can learn new things). Thank you!

[@davidmerkrebs9967]

maybe you can explain i ran a dedicated 20 amp circuit with 12 gauge wire to my garage a year ago no problem using it for a chop saw, band saw etc yesterday i hit the trigger on the saw and heard a pop the breaker didn't trip opened up the the two gang outlet box and saw the white wires connected with a wago burnt i repaired the connection all is fine now Can you explain what happened

[@ryanwaddell6278]

If you are sharing neutrals somewhere they will also trip or if you've got a ground wire to close to your hot they will trip. If you have a GFCI plug on that circuit they will trip sometimes interfacing with each other.

[@michaelcasella4774]

Do you have any recommendations for arc fault gfci breakers that are nearly impossible to keep on while running a backup generator? Main line power they are fine.

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

Interesting. Probably a better generator? That sounds frustrating.

[@charlesmcadory8286]

I do alot of remodeling and I have stopped using all the retrofit and just went back to regular cans.

[@71organicmusic35]

should that light be gfci being inside a shower stall???

[@jensschroder8214]

in Germany the lamp above the shower should only be 12V and the transformer must be in another dry place.

[@JamesRivera1]

I've also had problems with Feit electric LED bulbs not lasting anywhere near as long as expected. A commercial electrician friend of mine said he thinks that while the LEDs might last that long, the drivers for them fail much sooner. That being said, I also have a Feit electric motion sensor light that has worked pretty much flawlessly for a year or two. Perhaps the failure rate on cheap LED bulbs is just high? I dunno.

[@revengejr]

Is the coffee mug sitting on top of the panel full???? I'd hope it's empty otherwise popping an arc fault would be the least of your worries.

[@maxclark11]

Is your light fixture rated for damp locations?

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

Yes!

[@keithhults8986]

I would've unplugged all the trims first, then if the switch and circuit are on, plug each trim back in till the circuit trips, saving having to keep going to the panel to reset it. Everything Fiet is poor preforming. Halo or the same trim in another brand, made by Cooper lighting are more reliable. For new wafer installation, RAB and Topaz are very popular. 100,000hr life. They cost more, but you get what you pay for. A friend asked me why are all 6 LED fixtures randomly flickering together. One "Commercial Electric" Home Depot brand was causing the problem. Older homes don't have AF breakers. If a neutral is touching a ground in a normally ON circuit, an AF breaker will trip until the grounding neutral contact is cleared.

[@mackfisher4487]

Your Question how offen do you test your AFCI ... My Question Do you think a circuit breaker manufacturer would deliberately give you a practice that would shorten the life of said circuit breaker? Safety might dictate that you should check your GFCI outlet or arc AFCI devices regularly, but it's my thought that doing so too often COULD cause a mechanical failure.

[@user-zl8rv2gi5u]

Hi there.....per the NEC code, bathrooms are exempt from arc-fault breakers for lighting. Any idea why this circuit included it? In this case it was actually a good thing!

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

Because all my main level lights are on the same 15amp AFCI breaker. Good question!

[@billk8780]

Hi Ben, Is placing your coffee cup on top of your breaker panel a best practice? 😉

[@thedavesofourlives1]

using the AFCI's idle watt draw to keep it warm

[@erikj9962]

I had a led light like that fail with a shower of sparks when I turned it on. I didn't have an ark fault breaker, but very quickly turned the switch off. The insulation on the hot wire to the led PCB failed.

[@BenjaminSahlstrom]

Good you were there to turn it off!

[@YUshakov]

AFCI is not a panacea. The point of high transient resistance does not give HF arcing signal, which is detected by AFCI. Therefore, different kind of circuit breakers is in use.

[@ElitePlyr1]

I'm willing to guess that the light fixture above the shower is unsafely close to the moisture of the shower. I think that there isn't supposed to be a light within 8 ft. above the shower top rim or within 3 ft. horizontally of the shower.

[@ottoroth9377]

I had one exzctly lije your situation...problem was one of the LED Overhead lights!

[@ottoroth9377]

Pinched wire against trim?

[@isettech]

The one in the shower should be rated for wet locations. A hot shower and condensation on the cold light equals a wet fixture and a ground fault. This is a case of a faulty installation using the wrong material in a wet location.

[@cengeb]

exactly and it needs to be GFCI not AFCI only

[@Chevytech1977]

A motor like a ceiling fan, pedestal fan or space heater will also trip an Arc fault breaker. Had it happen to me the way my 70 year old house was wired!

[@imevbore]

How do I bond three tenant apartments with individual meter boards? Please, I need a detailed explanation

[@Sparky-joystick.1308]

i recommend GE led be best. sold by lowes

[@JW77]

Sadly the one circuit that was giving me trouble was my own studio. No one even noticed and no one appreciated it when I finally figured out what went wrong.

[@publicmail2]

Had a ARC fault trip when using microwave and a specific Feit LED light on same circuit only.

[@paulschimel3572]

Sylvania. Standard sockets so they are easy to replace later.

[@williambates6811]

I have challenges with the switches failing. I had a group of led lights from home depot that started flickering after a year. I ended up changing the lights out for another brand of led light.

[@bernlitzner2739]

The Dyson vacuum cleaner is the only thing that has been popping the AFCI/GFCI breakers. Not all of them and not all of the time.

[@aberobinson1]

I only install Lithonia Lighting. Never had a problem. The cheap lights are garbage. Every new construction house comes with garbage LED lights and they all go bad in a year

[@ed6837]

I have had good luck with Halo but I am a retired electrician so I am not installing many. I did have a couple with bad drivers a few years back. Can't remember but I think they were Lithonia.

[@kenchilton]

The arc fault may not have tripped in your test either because you moved the fixture enough to disturb the problematic internal connection, or because the fixture was hanging in the air and the metal frame was no longer grounded.