Arc Fault. The plasma converts some of the electrical energy into thermal energy at extremely high temperature. Through the 1990s according to the u s.
Consumer product safety commission cpsc an average of over 40 000 fires a year were attributed to home electrical wiring resulting in over 350 deaths and over 1 400 injuries. Afcis are designed to sense an arc which is an electrical leak caused when a hot wire touches a neutral or ground but doesn t trigger the circuit breaker. Loose connections which can develop over time can sometimes become hot enough to ignite house fires.
The arc is plasma that results from a current flowing through air.
Arc fault circuit interrupter protection states that an afci provides protection from the effects of arc faults by recognizing characteristics unique to arcing and by functioning to de energize the circuit when an arc fault is detected it is not a gfci though combination units do exist. Afci or arc fault circuit interrupters are the latest in electrical safety devices for dwellings. This discharge generates heat which can break down the wire s insulation and trigger an electrical fire. For example this can occur when the conductors or wires have damaged frayed or worn insulation.
