The AFCI is an arc fault circuit interrupter breaker. These have to be installed in bedrooms that have twenty amp, fifteen amp, single phase and 125-volt outlets. This was required starting back in 2002 by the NEC. You may see more rooms in a home needing these outlets, but for now, it is just required for bedrooms. If there is a slight arc in the outlet, the AFCI breaker will shut down the outlet in a split second preventing potential fires and/ or death. Other outlets do not shut down when there is a slight arc, which can cause fires.
The AFCI works differently than the GFCI. The GFCI protects you from electrical shock and the AFCI protects you from fire caused by arcing. You can look forward to a combination of AFCI and GFCI protection in one outlet in the near future. This means the outlet will protect against arcing and possible fire as well as electrical shock. This will more than likely be used in bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens. The causes of an arc fault could be one of many things.
It could be caused because of a frayed wire, broken wires, or loose wire connections. It can also be caused from damaged plugs or cords, worn insulation around the wire, and furniture pressed tightly against the electrical plug. If any of these conditions exist, you could see arching from the outlet if you did not have the AFCI outlet.
If the arching goes for long periods of time, the wires can reach high temperatures and easily start a fire. The temperatures get so hot that they can cause insulation or other materials to start on fire. You need to properly protect your home and these AFCI outlets are now mandatory in bedrooms throughout the United States.
