Choosing Between AFCI Breakers and Receptacles for Optimal Safety
Chuck Ross
Arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) protection is now a requirement in most areas of a home, and it’s not difficult to understand why the National Electrical Code (NEC) makes this demand. Basically, a lot of us don’t pay a whole lot of attention to what – and how – we plug into our wall outlets, and this can lead to serious fire risks over time. Electrical pros can choose between either AFCI breakers or receptacles to help minimize these dangers. Each option has pros and cons, with the right choice depending on the particulars of any given project.
Arcing is a critical electrical safety issue. It can be most dramatic in industrial settings, where arc events can cause highly destructive explosions and fires. In homes, they can be more insidious, taking place out of sight and over time. This can include wiring issues behind the walls or from damage to device wiring that becomes loose or abraded – like, for example, the lamp that’s plugged into a standard-duty extension cord to reach the receptacle behind the living room sofa, or the bedside clock radio with a cord at risk of pinching, squeezed behind a nightstand. Arcing here can easily result in dangerous fires. The National Fire Protection Association has estimated more than 46,000 home fires a year were electrically related between 2015 and 2019.
AFCI protective devices are highly sensitive to the current variations that indicate arcing and shut off power to connected equipment – either an entire circuit, in the case of a breaker or to connected equipment and downstream outlets in the case of a receptacle. The NEC now requires this kind of protection in all of a residence’s major living areas, but electricians have some leeway in choosing between the options.
In new construction and major renovation projects, going with an AFCI breaker is an easy answer. If panel-level work is already required, the breaker won’t add much to the budget and will protect the entire circuit. The situation could be different, though, for electricians called in for smaller jobs, like moving or replacing an existing receptacle in an area requiring AFCI protection. Simply opting for an AFCI outlet (which might also include ground fault circuit interruption, as well) could be an easier and more affordable choice in this situation. Breakers are more expensive than outlets and retrofitting an AFCI breaker – which could be larger than standard units – into an existing panel will add time and cost. It’s important to remember, though, that an AFCI receptacle only protects devices connected to it and other downstream devices. Devices upstream remain unprotected.
Arcing is a critical electrical safety issue. It can be most dramatic in industrial settings, where arc events can cause highly destructive explosions and fires. In homes, they can be more insidious, taking place out of sight and over time. This can include wiring issues behind the walls or from damage to device wiring that becomes loose or abraded – like, for example, the lamp that’s plugged into a standard-duty extension cord to reach the receptacle behind the living room sofa, or the bedside clock radio with a cord at risk of pinching, squeezed behind a nightstand. Arcing here can easily result in dangerous fires. The National Fire Protection Association has estimated more than 46,000 home fires a year were electrically related between 2015 and 2019.
AFCI protective devices are highly sensitive to the current variations that indicate arcing and shut off power to connected equipment – either an entire circuit, in the case of a breaker or to connected equipment and downstream outlets in the case of a receptacle. The NEC now requires this kind of protection in all of a residence’s major living areas, but electricians have some leeway in choosing between the options.
In new construction and major renovation projects, going with an AFCI breaker is an easy answer. If panel-level work is already required, the breaker won’t add much to the budget and will protect the entire circuit. The situation could be different, though, for electricians called in for smaller jobs, like moving or replacing an existing receptacle in an area requiring AFCI protection. Simply opting for an AFCI outlet (which might also include ground fault circuit interruption, as well) could be an easier and more affordable choice in this situation. Breakers are more expensive than outlets and retrofitting an AFCI breaker – which could be larger than standard units – into an existing panel will add time and cost. It’s important to remember, though, that an AFCI receptacle only protects devices connected to it and other downstream devices. Devices upstream remain unprotected.
Photo courtesy of Hubbell Wiring
