# arc fault and LED



## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

What is normal troubleshooting. Have you disconnected them 1 at a time? If it trips right away this should be an easy find and fix.


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## The_Modifier (Oct 24, 2009)

Check the switch as well.


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

Try a different version of AFCI.


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

papacane said:


> I have recently finished a kitchen and have had trouble with Halo 4 inch recessed LED and my 15 amp arc fault circuit. I have performed the usual troubleshooting and have found nothing unusual. I have connected the circuit to a non afci circuit breaker and the breaker holds and the lights work fine. But when I am connected to the afci c.b. the breaker trips the moment the lights are turned on. Is it possible that one of the led trims is causing the problem?


 i guess its possible that the led trims could be the cause. Id assume theres an issue with the wiring on the load side of that switch. Loose splice , wire couldve got hit by sheetrocker. Biggest causes of afci trips in my experience are shared neutral( not in your case) and neutral touching ground , guys i work with manage to pull this off in hi hat junction boxes once in a while.


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## RIVETER (Sep 26, 2009)

Next72969 said:


> i guess its possible that the led trims could be the cause. Id assume theres an issue with the wiring on the load side of that switch. Loose splice , wire couldve got hit by sheetrocker. Biggest causes of afci trips in my experience are shared neutral( not in your case) and neutral touching ground , guys i work with manage to pull this off in hi hat junction boxes once in a while.


Wire hit by a sheet rocker would not cause it.


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## Next72969 (Dec 9, 2012)

RIVETER said:


> Wire hit by a sheet rocker would not cause it.


 i just went through this a few weeks ago. The screw pierced the insulation and was touching the ground and neutral on a switch leg for some hats. Didnt trip a regular breaker nor would it. It wasnt a sheetrocker in this case , it was the homeowner hanging shelves, but once he said he put those shelves in i knew which wall to break.


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## FlyingSparks (Dec 10, 2012)

The latest BR and CH Eaton AFCI breakers have a status LED showing what caused a trip. I have a friend that is an electrician, he bought a small BR main lug sub panel and he installed one AFCI breaker (with the status led--newest type) and put the sub panel on a normal power cord. When he does a diagnostic he jumpers the neutral and hot to his portable subpanel to see what the cause is. This is cheaper than buying a diagnostic tool for him. Just an interesting suggestion if you are using AFCI breakers without an external trip cause indicator.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

papacane said:


> I have recently finished a kitchen and have had trouble with Halo 4 inch recessed LED and my 15 amp arc fault circuit. I have performed the usual troubleshooting and have found nothing unusual. I have connected the circuit to a non afci circuit breaker and the breaker holds and the lights work fine. But when I am connected to the afci c.b. the breaker trips the moment the lights are turned on. Is it possible that one of the led trims is causing the problem?


Check out all of your splices,make sure they're rock solid.

Check out all of your neutrals,make sure they're not mixed with other circuits .

Make sure you're bare grounds are not touching neutrals on devices either.


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## papacane (Apr 21, 2013)

*Problem Solved*

Thanks for all the input, really appreciate it. It turns out that one of the recessed lights was buried by the drywaller and the socket and wires were crushed on the outer rim of the housing. I did not think of this at the time because the light was in an odd location and I seemed to recall that it was eliminated by the owner so it did not register. It wasn't until I got home and reviewed the as-builts that I realized the light should be there. I knew what the location of the light should be and confirmed this with a magnet before I removed drywall. Sure enough, there it was and there was the damaged wire that caused the arc fault. Just another reminder how important as-builts are especially to an electrician. Something I have done in the past that has helped is to photograph in detail and scale the location of lights and devices etc. Didn't think it was necessary this time but I was wrong. Thanks again and please, update your as-builts daily.


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## Pete m. (Nov 19, 2011)

Glad you found it. It's not unusual for a rocker to cover switch or receptacle boxes... but a can light?!?!?

Pete


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## drspec (Sep 29, 2012)

Pete m. said:


> Glad you found it. It's not unusual for a rocker to cover switch or receptacle boxes... but a can light?!?!?
> 
> Pete


once had ****rockers cover up a 24 circuit panel box, 2 recessed can lights, bathroom exhaust fans and at least 6 receptacles in a 700 sq ft apartment


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## Pete m. (Nov 19, 2011)

drspec said:


> once had ****rockers cover up a 24 circuit panel box, 2 recessed can lights, bathroom exhaust fans and at least 6 receptacles in a 700 sq ft apartment


What the heck did they cut out?!?!? Besides any thought of profit?!?!?

Pete


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

I had that same problem a couple years back with low voltage hihats. This is what my troubleshooting found, disconnected white at switch box, lights went out, disconnected ground at switch box, lights stayed on, AFCI stayed on. You know what never got reconnected. Even a GFCI breaker stayed on. I hate those damn breakers.


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

drspec said:


> once had ****rockers cover up a 24 circuit panel box, 2 recessed can lights, bathroom exhaust fans and at least 6 receptacles in a 700 sq ft apartment


that wasnt rockers, that was f=ing morons!:whistling2:


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