View Single Post
  #4   Report Post  
Posted to alt.home.repair
Dan Lanciani Dan Lanciani is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 130
Default Opinions on upgrading Electrical panel...

In article , (bud--) writes:
| Dan Lanciani wrote:
| In article ,
(bud--) writes:
| | Dan Lanciani wrote:
|
| | Does something like an L14-20 outlet require AFCI protection (assuming in
| | an area so requiring) since it has 120V available pole to neutral?
| |
| | As you likely know, AFCI protection is required for 15 and 20A 120V
| | branch circuits supplying "outlets" (receptacles, lighting, smoke
| | detectors, ...) in specified rooms in "dwellings". Generally receptacles
| | that are required to have GFCI protection are not required to have AFCI
| | protection. Older houses may have kitchen appliance, laundry and
| | unfinished basement circuits that do not stray into rooms where
| | protection is required. And maybe bathroom circuits.
| |
| | The protection would be for the branch circuit (which includes the
| | L14-20 receptacle).
|
| The question is whether the branch circuit supplying the L14-20 (let's
| assume that's all it supplies) is considered a 120V branch circuit for
| this purpose. It's a 240V circuit, but it does have a neutral so 120V
| is available.
|
|
| I was lazy and didn't look up the configuration - shoulda known the
| question looked too easy....
|
| The receptacle, for others as lazy as I am, is 120/240V, 2 hots,
| neutral, ground.
|
| My opinion is an inspector would not require AFCI protection.
| (If AFCI protection was required it would have to be a 2-pole AFCI
| breaker, because you can't have a common neutral otherwise.)

Which would be a problem since Cutler Hammer doesn't make a 2-pole
combo AFCI (yet?)... I wouldn't want to get into a situation where
there is no way to satisfy the code with existing equipment.

Dan Lanciani
ddl@danlan.*com