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Circuit breaker questions

wgscott

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Are there any incompatibility concerns with respect to using an Arc Fault Circuit breaker and/or a Ground Fault Circuit interrupter on household circuit that powers an amp or DAC or other AV equipment?

I had a Rel subwoofer electrical fault that started to catch fire a few months ago, so I am thinking some additional protection might be in order.
 

DonH56

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No, though large turn-on surges might trip the arc fault breaker. A GFI outlet is not a bad idea and is pretty cheap.
 
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wgscott

wgscott

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Even with small, high-grade audiophile electrons?
 

amirm

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Well, a GFCI breaker trips if there are less electrons coming back than going out. To that end, it is doubly useful for audiophile electrons because it makes sure none are lost due to cables not being lifted, level, etc.
 
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wgscott

wgscott

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A GFCI is probably a good idea given our propensity to screw around with our equipment. But I am currently (so to speak) most worried about arc faults. [On a non-audio note (so to speak), I just had an outdoor well pump pressure switch flame out. The breaker it is on did not trip. I don't know if you can put a pump on an Arc Fault breaker, but I would like to. I think the most recent version of the electrical code requires arc fault breakers on all indoor circuits, but my outdoor pump switch could have started a wildfire, not just burned my house down. I digress ... sorry.]
 

Wombat

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Use this for testing:

Neil-Young-Crazy-Horse-Arc.jpg



:rolleyes:
 

Blumlein 88

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Forgot to mention they have AFCI outlets too. If you have regular breakers you can use these outlets and have combination protection that way. I think you'll have to use combination breakers and GFCI outlets to have all three kinds of protection.

https://www.homedepot.com/s/afci%20outlet?NCNI-5
 
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wgscott

wgscott

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So there is no reason to worry about either adding noise into the household electrical system?

The reason I worry a bit about this is I read somewhere about AFCI interfering with powerline internet data transmission. Anyone know if there is a basis for that (forgetting for a moment about whether such noise would be audible)?
 

DonH56

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The AFI won't add noise. I do not know about Ethernet over powerline with AFI in general but it is working in our basement. One problem we did have was that whenever the treadmill was turned on the AFI would trip even though the treadmill was on a different circuit. Apparently the surge from the motor was enough to trip the AFI in the service box. After going through three different breakers, and talking with the electrician who'd seen the problem with AFCI and motors before, I went back to a regular breaker.

Frankly I would not install an AFI breaker, just not sure I see the need, but would consider a GFI outlet in the media room. If you really need to do anything at all. Chances are a fault on the output side of a power supply or output transistors of an amp wouldn't trip a breaker anyway unless it was a ground fault, but the amp's fuse should blow. If something inside smokes it could easily set the box on fire without ever drawing enough current to trip the breaker, unfortunately. Be sure you have smoke detectors in the room.
 

Blumlein 88

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I want CECI.

Carrington event circuit interrupt.
 

DonH56

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I want CECI.

Carrington event circuit interrupt.

I did not get that reference, but Google's top hit was this, so maybe it makes sense... :)

Carrington Mortgage Services
https://www.carringtonms.com/
Loan servicing and loan modification information from Carrington Mortgage. Make online payments, review account details, payment history, change personal ...
 

gvl

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There is an opinion out there that CPSC and NFPA were lobbied to amend NEC with AFCI requirements to create a market for it.
 
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wgscott

wgscott

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You really gotta watch your back around those acronym lobbyists. APPALLING: Acronym Production, Particularly At Lavish Levels, Is Not Good.
 
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