| Electrical wiring is to blame for over 40,000 home | | | | John Servier Fossil Plant. As quoted by TVA |
| fires annually. High temperatures are produced | | | | spokesman Scott Brooks, a large electrical panel |
| creating risk of ignition of nearby wood, paper and | | | | caught fire when a unit failed and began to arc. |
| carpets when an electrical arc fault occurs. | | | | An arc fault can occur because of damaged or |
| There is no way to stop an appliance or | | | | deteriorating wires and cords, yet such causes like |
| electronic device from shorting out, but the risk | | | | the puncturing of the wire insulation due to picture |
| of an arc fault occurring can be reduced by | | | | hanging or cable staples, poorly installed outlets or |
| installing an Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI). An | | | | switches, cords caught in doors or under furniture, |
| AFCI stops all electric current when detecting | | | | furniture pushed against plugs in an outlet, natural |
| change in the charge from hot to neutral. | | | | aging and cord exposure to heat vents and |
| Some electronics such as computers, microwaves | | | | sunlight are also to blame. |
| and TV's are equipped with transformers that | | | | There are three types of arc fault circuit |
| hold power when not in use as long as it is | | | | interrupters; branch/feeder AFCI, outlet circuit and |
| plugged into a receptacle receiving an electric | | | | combination. |
| charge. If an arc fault circuit interrupter is in place, | | | | - Required by the National Electric Code, branch |
| the AFCI would trip the breaker stopping all | | | | feeder AFCI's are installed within a panel board to |
| electricity to the device if shortage occurs. | | | | provide parallel arc protection of the branch or |
| Bedroom lamps are high on the list of household | | | | feeder circuit wiring. It also aids in the protection |
| items causing arc faults because of their low | | | | of arcs in the cord sets and supply cords. |
| voltage shorting making it hard for a circuit | | | | - An outlet circuit AFCI is placed at a branch |
| breaker to recognize an abnormality in order to | | | | circuit outlet providing protection against arcing |
| trip the breaker. In 2002, the National Electric | | | | within the cord sets and power supply cords |
| Code made it a requirement to have an arc fault | | | | plugged into an outlet. This specific AFCI does not |
| circuit interrupter installed on all bedroom | | | | provide protection on feed-thru branch circuit |
| receptacle outlets. | | | | conductors. |
| In the case of Unit 4 of the Tennessee Valley | | | | - A combination AFCI is typically a receptacle |
| Authority power plant, an Arc Fault Circuit | | | | providing protection downstream of the device |
| Interrupter would have prevented the fire caused | | | | for branch circuit wiring, cord sets and power |
| on December 31, 2009 at the Rogersville, TN, | | | | supply cords. |