Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 11:14:56 -0500
From: Bud 
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house alt.engineering.electrical alt.building.construction alt.home.repair
Subject: Re: Info to backup safety of aluminum wiring?

Member TPVFD wrote:
> 
> The manufacturers do not make it clear that AFCIs cannot detect series 
> arcs, such as those resulting from an oxidizing connection, until they 
> progress to a ground fault which draws at least thirty milliamperes.  If 
> the arcing connection does not cause a ground fault the AFCI cannot 
> detect it and the heat it generates can kindle a fire.  They can detect 
> a parallel arc such as when a screw penetrates a cable and causes a high 
> resistance arcing fault between the current carrying conductors.  Such 
> parallel arcs are not that common.
> -- 
> Tom Horne
> 
I keep forgetting that.

The 2005 NEC requires AFCIs with series AND parallel protection starting 
1-1-2008. I don't know of any on the market now.

Bud--