Several years ago, the electrical code was updated to include requirements for what’s called an arc fault circuit breaker.  Here’s how that may affect you…

Traditional circuit breakers are designed to trip if there is a rush of electric current passing through a circuit or a massive amount of current that causes the breaker to heat up. Generally, traditional breakers are designed to protect the wiring from the receptacle to the electric panel.

The arc fault circuit breaker is designed to also protect small appliance wires and extension cords plugged into the receptacle. Similar to your ground fault circuit breaker (GFI) which senses moisture and is required in locations like bathrooms, kitchens and exterior receptacles, the arc fault circuit breaker uses a small filter and a logic device to sense an electrical arc and intense heat. They’re currently required in all bedrooms since this is the most common area of the home where a fire may start as result of arcing.

Unfortunately, a vacuum cleaner is one of those appliances that tend to trip the arc fault… and of course you do need to vacuum the bedroom!  You’ll generally find that the older the appliance, the more likely it is to trip the breaker. Newer appliances are being designed to avoid this situation.

The frustrating part is that some arc fault circuit breakers seem to be slightly more sensitive than others so you may find one bedroom trips but another doesn’t. That doesn’t mean anything is wrong, just that there is a slight inconsistency in manufacturing. We’ve run into this before and have determined that it’s not that the arc fault circuit breakers that don’t trip aren’t doing their job, but instead it’s the ones that do trip that are doing their job a little better.

It may be annoying to be limited in your vacuum cleaner outlets, but it’s not a deficiency… just a system designed to protect you.

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