Truth about GFCI outlets vs AFCI breakers

Today we are talking about the difference between AFCI and GFCI outlets found within our homes. How do these work and protect us within our homes? Where are these found in the home? Safety for everyone in the home should be priority #1. Remember the better you take care of your house, the better it will take care of you!
Thanks to Bill Meyers with Meyers Electric for joining us and his expertise! If you need a certified electrician, give Meyers Electric a call at 262-968-3753 or visit their website meyerselectric.com/
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[@Itaintnutn]

The honest truth, how refreshing, Thanks guys

[@drcoffee5588]

Great show. You really explained the difference between afci and gfci. Thank you

[@cicio7777]

How do we tell if circuit breaker supports GFCI?

[@Cymaphore]

GFCI: Checks if current that goes in takes the correct path back out. If you touch the live wire, current flows another path and the GFCI trips. AFCI: Checks if the Voltage (and or Current) looks weird. If something arcs, for example because wires are interrupted but close by or terminals are quite loose, that makes the current look weird and the breaker trips. It is not, I repeat not about "protecting the neutral" or "protecting live". Overall a nice video, but please don't spread such nonsense.

[@hshpropertyinspectionmattj3518]

That's odd as Bill is a Master Electrician and owns Meyers Electric. I'll do some more looking into this and consult with a few other electricians. Always aiming to present correct information, which is why we bring in experts in their fields to discuss topics with us. Thanks for watching ;O)

[@fredflintstone8048]

Bill also stated that there's no power on the neutral, but that it's just a ground. Not true. It's true that the neutrals are tied to the ground at the entrance panel (not sub panels), but the neutral is the return path for current going through the hot wire (black or red or blue). For example if you have a 10 amp load on a circuit, there's 10 amps going out on the hot wire, and 10 amps returning on the neutral (white) wire provided that it's not a split circuit where two hots on opposite side of the buss share the same neutral wire. In that case the neutral is returning the 'difference' in the current on the two circuits. The amount of voltage you read on a neutral to ground with a volt meter is a function of how much current is flowing on the neutral and how long the wire is at the point where one is measuring and where the grounds and the neutrals are bonded together at the main service entrance. It depends on the resistance in that length of wire. The greater the length thus the greater the resistance, and the higher the current the higher the voltage reading (Volts (E) = Amps (I) x R (resistance of the wire) All of the current that goes through the hot wire must return on the neutral (white wire) in a GFCI circuit. Any current NOT returning on the neutral is assumed to be returning on the ground and the GFCI type of breaker will trip on these conditions. This provides a safety for the human. AFCI detects arcing, irregularity in the current flow. Any load plugged into an outlet, or light fixture, loose wire on a switch, or receptacle can cause the AFCI breaker or receptacle to trip. The most nuisance tripping takes place with AFCI breakers or outlets. This is why many homeowners will end up taking them out and putting in a standard breaker after the home passes an electrical inspection. In theory they protect against electrical fires in the home, but many ask if the nuisance tripping is worth the protection. There are many good KZbin videos on how to troubleshoot the nuisance tripping. Finding the cause can be quite an involved process.

[@dandronemoan4041]

I'll try and timestamp just some of the falseholds and incorrect information here... 1:44 - we can sell them because arc-faults burn down houses not just because it's in a book 3:00 - arc faults can occur on the "hot" or "neutral" side of a circuit. An AFCI needs to measure the differences and changes between in both sides of the circuit. It doesn't only protect the "neutral wire" 3:23 - this could have occurred if the screw went into a "hot" wire. A traditional surge breaker will no trip as there isn't an overload in current, only an arc being created. 3:50 - the odds of any electrical wire burning a house down are reasonable enough for us to have codes 4:08 - again, any current carrying conductor 5:05 - "need a new breaker" - ergh not if you've damaged a wire 5:18 - "you don't have to have these things" - by code since 2002, there are requirements for new builds and remodels 5:25 - if you screw into a hot wire, that doesn't automatically create an overcurrent situation that a regular breaker will trip on. Normally you'd have to short for that to happen (which does require a neutral or ground) 5:35 - arc faults protect the entire circuit 7:36 - that's a dual function breaker which also provide ground-fault protection

[@bpinspects]

This is not accurate information. An AFCI doesn’t protect “only the neutral wire”, it detects arcs to ground, arcs to neutral, and series arcs. A standard circuit breaker will open in response to an overload, a short circuit, and a ground fault, but it will not open if the wiring arcs. A standard breaker protects the wiring from overcurrent. A GFCI device protects people from shock. An AFCI protect combustible materials from ignition that results from an arc. Also, AFCI devices aren’t found only in “new” homes. They have been required on certain circuits in new installations since 2002.