When I was testing outlets in 2 bedrooms I hit the button to trip the gfci and it cut the power to the outlets in each bedroom. The house was built in 2002 and I checked the panel and found the 2 breakers in the attached photo. Are these GFCI breakers? Why would they have GFCI breakers for a bedroom?
That should be an AFCI and is rated at 10,000 volts for amp interruption capacity.
Why would it trip with a cheap GFCI tester? The house was strange. The front exterior outlet would trip, but still had power to it, the rear exterior outlet was on the same circuit and would not function unless the front outlet was reset.
The installer put in the wrong type of breaker.
Jeff, could you clarify?
IIRC the Square D AFCIs have either a white or blue test button. Some were also green.
Based on the fact that the breaker tripped using the GFCI function of the tester, I’m assuming the breakers are GFCI’s rather than AFCI’s.
I’ve seen GFCI’s and AFCI’s that are very similar in appearance, and I have seen where they have been mistakenly misplaced, so this is my guess.
Thats what I thought you were saying.
Phil do you have a picture of the inside panel?
I would not assume this is a GFCI breaker as they also have orange buttons on AFCI and it is possible to trip them with a 3 button tester which is why we do not test them that way.
http://www.inspectapedia.com/electric/GFCI_Inspection_Safety.htm
I do test AFCI breakers, even though it may not be “required.”
Ground-faults and arc-faults are not the same, and I have never been able to trip an AFCI breaker by using the GFCI test button.
I have seen AFCI breakers in blue, green, yellow, white and orange, and I have seen GFCI breakers in white, yellow and red.
Jeff I have tripped AFCI breakers with a 3 light tester long ago0 however the best way is to only use the button in the panel.
Others have reported the same over time here but that is why you should never use 3 light testers on AFCI.
Paul Abernathy has made comments on this subject in the past.
Just as I suspected. . . 
A plug-in tester should be set to trip a Class A GFI device. Class A is the 5mA protection level.
The GFI component of the AFCI is the Class B 30 mA.
That is a good catch, when I first read the post the looked like AFCI breakers.
Nice find!!
Good job Jeff.
I’d also question why it’s only 15 amp serving a bedroom.
How much power do you think the normal bedroom requires? A couple of lamps, an alarm clock and a TV.
Not sure about exact amperage, but including light (ceiling fan) and 4 -6 rec. in an average room I’m used to seeing 20 amp. Actually most all circuits for rec. are on 20 amp.
I love the Red Pipe Cleaner in the Picture, clever. 
1 Like
Thanks for all your help. I do test AFCI breakers at the panel. I trip them then go check the outlets and I have not had any trip with the GFCI tester before. As far as the 15 amp the house was built in 2002. I think I will invest in a plug in tester.
I hate to spoil the party but I am not convinced that Jeff’s image proves anything.
http://www.hardwareandtools.com/Square-D-QO120CAFIC-QO-20A-Combo-Arc-Fault-Breaker-1311612.html