advanced search

Arc Fault/Ground Fault Tester Can Take the Heat

May 1, 2003 12:00 PM, Edited By Amy Florence Fischbach, Staff Writer

Find more articles on Arc Flash/Arc Fault, Ground Fault

Arc Fault/Ground Fault Tester Can Take the Heat

The 2002 NEC implemented new requirements to help reduce the number of electrical fires caused by parallel arc faults in branch circuit wiring. All branch circuits supplying bedrooms in single-family and multi-family bedrooms must now be protected by an arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI). More electricians are installing AFCIs to comply with the Code, but up until now, neither the installer nor the inspector had any means available to properly test the devices. But all that has changed now that John Grant, owner of DeKalb, Ill.-based Fox Meter, invented the first UL Listed arc fault/ground fault tester.

The AFI-100, now offered by Greenlee, can provide pass/fail verification on AFCIs and GFCIs at the touch of a button. Grant started developing the tester after talking to an inspector who was checking out an addition to his 3-yr-old home. After finding out that Grant owned an industrial, aerospace, and military instrumentation company, the inspector told him about the new requirement for AFCIs. In four months, Grant developed a method of reliably tripping the AFCIs without overheating the tester.

After discovering a way to trip the units, he sent the testers to electrical inspectors across the country. He immediately received positive feedback and submitted 18 units to UL for drop, impact, and heat testing. UL was in the process of finalizing the specifications for arc fault testers at the same time that Fox Meter was developing the product. UL granted approval to the product in October, but requested that a pulsed 5A ground test feature also included in the unit be removed.

“UL didn't want to do any ground testing on arc fault breakers,” Grant says. “If there was a wiring problem, there was a potential hazard. Somebody could get a nasty shock.”

Since a ground test was no longer an option, the inspectors advised Grant to include a GFCI test so they could perform two types of testing with one piece of equipment.

After his product gained UL approval, Grant listed it on a Web site called ArcFaultTester.com. Greenlee, which had been monitoring the Web site, called Grant immediately. Chera Ellis, senior product manager, says it was the first tester to get UL approval. Ellis says Greenlee selected Fox Meter's tester because it can simulate parallel arcing between line and neutral to test 15A and 20A AFCIs in residential applications. Before the AFI-100, there was no way to verify the performance of an AFCI, says Richard Duke, senior electrical engineer for Greenlee.

“These breakers have a little test button that tells the breaker, ‘Pretend there's an arc, now open up,’” he says. “Our device actually produces the same current that you would have in a real arcing situation.”

The tester provides pass/fail verification on AFCI and GFCI receptacles and breakers. To get a visual indication of pass/fail, an electrician can plug the tester into an outlet, verify the wiring, and press a button.

“A lot of our end-users are large contractors, and much of the interest has come from building inspectors who are doing multi-family dwellings,” Ellis says. “They need a unit that can handle repetitive testing without worrying about the heat that's generated or the unit not working correctly.”

Now inspectors no longer have to worry if these devices will operate as designed. Instead, they can use a handheld instrument to safely and reliably test for an arc fault.

For more information, visit www.greenlee.textron.com.

PRODUCT SPECS

Features

• LED indicators signal correct wiring, open ground, open neutral, hot/ground reversed, and hot/neutral reversed.

• One-button testing.

• Microprocessor-controlled precision circuitry.

• Impact-absorbing housing for extra durability.

• Powered by the outlet under test; doesn't require batteries.

• Listed to UL 1436, “Outlet Circuit Testers.”

• Lifetime limited warranty.

Specifications

• Arc Fault Test: 12, 112A pulses

• Pulse Width: 400 µsec

• Repetition Rate: 120 Hz

• Ground Fault Test: 7 mA at 120VAC

• Polarity Indicator: 3 LEDs indicate proper wiring to outlet under test

• Power: 120VAC, 15A or 20A branch circuit

Want to use this article? Click here for options!

© 2012 Penton Business Media, Inc.

---

Acceptable Use Policy blog comments powered by Disqus

Browse Back Issues Select an Issue November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 1, 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 1, 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 1, 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 1, 2006 May 1, 2006 April 2006 March 1, 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 1, 2004 January 1, 2004 December 1, 2003 November 1, 2003 October 1, 2003 September 1, 2003 August 1, 2003 July 1, 2003 June 1, 2003 May 1, 2003 April 1, 2003 March 1, 2003 February 1, 2003 January 1, 2003 December 1, 2002 November 1, 2002 October 1, 2002 September 1, 2002 August 1, 2002 July 1, 2002 June 1, 2002 May 1, 2002 April 1, 2002 March 1, 2002 February 1, 2002 January 1, 2002 December 1, 2001 November 1, 2001 October 1, 2001 September 1, 2001 August 1, 2001 July 1, 2001 June 1, 2001 May 1, 2001 April 1, 2001 March 1, 2001 February 1, 2001 February 1, 1995 January 1, 2001 December 1, 2000 November 1, 2000 October 1, 2000 September 1, 2000 August 1, 2000 July 1, 2000 June 1, 2000 May 1, 2000 April 1, 2000 March 1, 2000 February 1, 2000 January 1, 2000 December 1, 1999 November 1, 1999 October 1, 1999 September 1, 1999 August 1, 1999 July 1, 1999 June 1, 1999 May 1, 1999 April 1, 1999 March 1, 1999 February 1, 1999 January 1, 1999 December 1, 1998 November 1, 1998 October 1, 1998 September 1, 1998 August 1, 1998 July 1, 1998 June 1, 1998 May 1, 1998 April 1, 1998 March 1, 1998 February 1, 1998 January 1, 1998 December 1, 1997 November 1, 1997 December 1, 1996 November 1, 1996 October 1, 1996 September 1, 1996 August 1, 1996 July 1, 1996 June 1, 1996 May 1, 1996 April 1, 1996 March 1, 1996 February 1, 1996 January 1, 1996 December 1, 1995 November 30, 1995 November 1, 1995 October 1, 1995 September 1, 1995 August 1, 1995 July 1, 1995 June 1, 1995 May 1, 1995 April 1, 1995 March 1, 1995

browse e-newsletters