Arc-Fault Breakers

What is an Arc-Fault?

Arching occurs in two ways:

1) Naturally occurring: Occurs when a light switch is flipped or a motor driven appliance is turned on such as a vacuum cleaner.

2) Unsafe occurrence: Occurs when loose or corroded connections make intermittent contact and causes sparking or arcing between the connections. This translates into heat, which will break down the insulation of the wire and can be the trigger for an electrical fire.

Example of an Arc-Fault:

In a home where the electrical wiring may have stapled too tightly inside the walls, over a period of time, the electricity flowing through the circuit can begin to arc with the metal in the staple.  This can cause enormous amounts of heat, potentially causing an electrical fire.

What is an Arc-fault breaker?

An arc-fault breaker is designed to shut down the circuit once an arching situation is detected.  These clever devices can distinguish between a naturally occurring arching and unsafe occurrences.  To learn more about arc-fault breakers, call Maine Electric, your San Jose electrician!

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