AFCI & IR Cameras

[dbowers (Dan Bowers, CMI, EDI)]

I see very few AFCI’s installed in my area. Three times in the past month however I’ve run into them in newer houses (2-4 years old). Each time I’m doing an IR scan for buyer and each time the AFCI breakers were showing way hotter than everything else in panel … Got any idea why??

[cevans (Chuck Evans, CMI)]

@dbowers

I see very few AFCI’s installed in my area. Three times in the past month however I’ve run into them in newer houses (2-4 years old). Each time I’m doing an IR scan for buyer and each time the AFCI breakers were showing way hotter than everything else in panel … Got any idea why??

They’re electronic devices, not just breakers. It’s normal for them to produce heat.

Per EATON

Per UL standard 489 for molded case
circuit breakers, the breaker is required
to pass an overload test (50 operations
at 600% rated current, not less than
150 amperes) followed by 100% rated
current in open air with a temperature
not to exceed 50°C rise over ambient
at both line and load terminals.
This temperature test may also be
performed in an enclosure at 80%
rated current and temperature not
to exceed 65°C rise over ambient.
(The handle shall not exceed 60°C.)

What this means is that in a loadcenter
with a 70°F ambient temperature, the
temperature rise can be as high as
187°F and still meet UL operating
parameters for the breaker. While
the breaker functions properly to this
temperature, it will normally be in the
80 – 120°F range due to the electronics
in the breaker.

http://www.sacramentoiaei.org/AFCIHeatrise.pdf