Where to buy afci outlets

Installing AFCI outlets with advanced technology helps protect against electrical fires. Watch this Project of the Week Series to learn how upgrading your home with Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter Outlets can help protect you and your family.

Through old or cracked wires or cords as well as wires or cords damaged by heat, sunlight or humidity. Arcing creates high intensity heat may exceed 10, degrees Fahrenheit resulting in burning particles that may over time ignite surrounding material such as wood framing or insulation.

Samples of types of arcing that can occur:. AFCI outlets are designed to recognize many types of potentially hazardous arc-faults and respond by interrupting power, reducing the likelihood of the home's electrical system being an ignition source of a fire. Often unseen, arc-faults can occur anywhere in the home's electrical system including within walls, at loose electrical connections or within electrical cords accidently damaged by impinging furniture.

AFCI outlets provide arc-fault protection which is extremely important since arc-faults are often unseen and can occur anywhere in the home's electrical system including within walls and at loose electrical connections. No, an AFCI outlet provides protection against arc-faults. A GFCI outlet provides protection against ground faults. However, they can be used together on the same circuit.

The function of a GFCI is to directly protect people from the potentially fatal hazards of electric shock that could occur if parts of an electrical appliance or tool they are using become energized due to a ground fault. The function of an AFCI is to provide protection against dangerous arc-faults that could initiate an electrical fire, potentially injuring people and damaging homes. No, every outlet doesn't need to be an AFCI.

All AFCIs provide "feed-through" protection, which means they provide protection for all wiring and extensions attached to the load side. If an AFCI replaces the first outlet in the branch circuit, it will provide protection to the remaining outlets on that circuit as well as protection against series arcs on the wiring feeding the AFCI.

Unless you are familiar with your home's wiring, contact an electrician. Remove the outlet that you believe is the most likely to be first in the circuit. Cap the wires. Turn the breaker back on and test the other outlets. If you chose correctly, all the others will be dead. If you chose incorrectly, put the original outlet back in and try another and repeat the process. An AFCI breaker is located in the service panel and when tripped, requires the user to reset the breaker at the panel.

An AFCI outlet replaces a standard outlet and when tripped, requires the user to reset by pressing a button located on the outlet. The shutter mechanism inside the outlet blocks access to the contacts unless a two-pronged plug is inserted. This is an AFCI that protects against both series and parallel arcing. For more information on code requirements go to www.

The AFCI outlet can be a great alternative depending on the circumstance. AFCI outlets work with any type of wiring and are not dependent on the type of breaker in the panel. Yes, all outlets require a neutral wire to work. The AFCI outlets are available through electrical distributors, retail and online merchants. Visit www. Yes, they both can be used on the same circuit. Yes, AFCI outlets can be used in older homes that contain two wire circuits.

If you are unfamiliar with the function of a neutral wire, contact a licenses electrician. This means they can protect all outlets on both 15A and 20A branch circuits.

Learn More. Watch Now. What Are Arc-Faults? All volt, single-phase, and ampere receptacles installed in a laundry room now require GFCI protection, whether or not a sink is present. As dishwashers age, the risk of electrical shock increases, thus the latest requirement for GFCI protection on all dishwashers, whether they use a receptacle outlet or are hardwired in. This includes all volt, single-phase, and ampere branch circuits supplying not just outlets but also devices found in these rooms.

Shocked by how inadequately prepared for electrical hazards your home or business is? Contact Mr. Skip to main content. Your health and safety are our highest priority during this time. Click here for our precautionary measures.

The Leviton OBC AFCI Receptacle provides feed-through protection and is able to detect downstream arc-faults, both parallel and series, as well as upstream series arc-faults. Often unseen, arc-faults can occur anywhere in the home's electrical system including within walls, at loose electrical connections or within electrical cords accidently damaged by furniture resting or pressing on them.

Due to the fact that arc-faults are generally not visible it is important to have a means to detect a potential problem in a home's wiring.