AFCI or GFCI or Both required

[mtlogcabin]

A 100 year old home. The home inspector found that most outlets were not grounded and many did not pass for GFCI. The electrician they hired indicated that it is not normal to re-wire a ground line throughout a house. He says the standard practice is to install arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) breakers in the box in the basement for outlets throughout the house. This will also eliminate the need for GFCI plugs in the kitchen and bathrooms that were also noted on the inspection report.

Is this code compliant or acceptable under alternate means?
Nothing requires the upgrade. The question came up because of a pending sale.

 

[mark handler]

Section 406.3(D)(3) of the National Electric Code permits a non-grounding type receptacle to be replaced with a GFCI receptacle without a grounding connection.

I don't know about ArcFault receptacles?

 

[Gregg Harris]

A 100 year old home. The home inspector found that most outlets were not grounded and many did not pass for GFCI. The electrician they hired indicated that it is not normal to re-wire a ground line throughout a house. He says the standard practice is to install arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) breakers in the box in the basement for outlets throughout the house. This will also eliminate the need for GFCI plugs in the kitchen and bathrooms that were also noted on the inspection report.

Is this code compliant or acceptable under alternate means?
Nothing requires the upgrade. The question came up because of a pending sale.

While both can be used on the same circuit, the AFCI is for arc faults in the circuit and the GFCI is for human protection from electrocution from a ground fault.

A GFI Outlet with labels listing down stream outlets do not have grounding protection or running a new circuit back to panel [ie] rewire house. Two prong outlets are not illegal.

Reference NEC 250-130 c for alternate methods

 

[Msradell]

An AFCI cannot replace the need for a GFCI in a circuit. They serve completely different purposes. The electrician that told you that is completely wrong and I also wouldn't trust anything else he is telling you.

 

[ICE]

Section 406.3(D)(3) of the National Electric Code permits a non-grounding type receptacle to be replaced with a GFCI receptacle without a grounding connection.

I don't know about ArcFault receptacles?

The two prong receptacles can be left in place and AFCI is not required. With the exception of the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, garage and outside, all receptacles that are replaced need AFCI and GFCI and be tamper resistant. The kitchen, bathrooms, garage, and outdoors require GFCI. All of the receptacles require the no ground label.

 

[steveray]

Not sure on the exact scope of work or code, but watch out for:

E3902.13 Arc-fault circuit interrupter protection for branch circuit extensions or modifications.
Where branch-circuit wiring is modified, replaced, or extended in any of the areas specified in Section E3902.12, the branch circuit shall be protected by one of the following:

1. A combination-type AFCI located at the origin of the branch circuit
2. An outlet branch-circuit type AFCI located at the first receptacle outlet of the existing branch circuit.

 

[Builder Bob]

GFCI trips with 5 milliamps of current flow, an arc fault breaker if shorted out incorrectly will not trip until 20 amps of current flow thru it....

FYI - Combination Arc Fault breaker indicates the arc fault function will work for a series arc or for a parallel arc.

series - nail nicks or breaks one conductor and causes arcing as it tries to complete the path

Parallel - nail or screws nicks both conductors and begins arcing across the new medium


The ARC- FAULT and GFCI functions are as similar as apple are to oranges.