Circuit Breaker

A circuit breaker can prevent a house fire. http://go.askthebuilder.com/NewsletterSignupNow Tim Carter discusses the benefits of getting an arc fault circuit interrupter. That special type of circuit breaker shuts off the power before a fire starts.

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• breaker
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[prolodyne]

Are these breakers different from the ones that sense an imbalance between hot and return?

[AsktheBuilder]

You should ask this at the Customer Service page of a breaker manufacturer's website.

[piousa]

The NEC requires for all new constructions and renovations at home the use of ARC Breakers, for all of them at the panel, think smart, may they are a little expensive but is cheaper in case of accident or fire.

[kipper09100]

i think i got a circuit breaker because everytime my mum irons the electric goes off

it never happens to anything elese like watching tv or playing on xbox

weird init

[MIKON8ERISBACK]

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter = AFCI.

[Osmfaec]

Oh thank god you're finally telling people to hire a professional.

After watching a few of your electrical videos ( how to install S3 and S4's ) I was getting worried that you where going to tell people how install breakers, which would end up causing more injury than you intended to prevent.

[AsktheBuilder]

@captain150 Indeed! I remember when GFCIs came out in the mid-1970s. Back then they were $45 each. That was huge money back then.

[captain150]

@AsktheBuilder True. "Very new" is a tad inaccurate, though AFCIs are new compared to GFCIs, heh. :)

[AsktheBuilder]

@captain150 AFCI's have been around for about ten years. This video was taped 2000-2001.

[captain150]

@sniperusg50 Nope, RCBO stands for residual current circuit breaker with overcurrent protection. In North America, we call those GFCIs, which stands for ground fault circuit interrupter. RCBO/GFCIs are used, mainly, to prevent electrocution of people. They've been used in North America for decades.

This video is talking about AFCIs, arc fault circuit interrupters. They open the circuit if they detect arcing, which will prevent many house fires. AFCIs are very new.

[sniperusg50]

in the uk we call them RCBO's. they cost around £30 each. whats as good and cheaper is a split load RCD bord. look it up yanks your getting left behind by the rest of the world.

[rizalovely]

thanks

[AsktheBuilder]

@jjkindseth There are two breakers here in the USA that do that. The one shown in this video and the traditional Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter. This one, the Arc Fault had issues when first released about being overly sensitive in some cases.