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About PASCACK VALLEY ELECTRIC Bob Mossman
Expertise
Licensed Master Electrician (29 years) 6165B Contractor in Closter New Jersey with 38 years total experience in Residential - Commercial - Industrial work. Emergency Service - General trouble shooting and repair work - Paddle fans - Kitchen & Bath exhaust fans - AC lines - Smoke detectors - Telephone lines - Cable TV lines - Computer network cabling - Exterior lighting - Recessed lighting - Security lighting - (200 - 150 - 100 amp service up grades) - Electric Heat - New circuits - New appliance hook ups - Back up generators - and more ! FREE ESTIMATES 201-358-1552 www.pascackvalleyelectric.com
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Experience
Licensed contractor in Closter New Jersey.
Education/Credentials
"The Frank Williams School of Electrical Construction". My dear old boss is 96 and still going God Bless him. I started working for "Tenafly Electric" right out of high school at 19. He was tough but I learned more working for him in 8 and half years than most guys. We did mostly industrial work while doing some commercial and residential so I was fortunate to be exposed to all 3 areas of electrical construction. The guys I worked with were all good guys and I stay in touch with some of them still. Most of us went into our own buisness's which says something about the caliber of the guys I worked with. We had some interesting clients : Wella Corp. of shampoo fame, Farah Fawcett etc, I didn't buy shampoo for 10 years, it was a great place to work. Pan Am the X airline just before they went under, another great place to work, nice clean environment. C&C Metals, the largest button manufacturer in the US, a not so clean environment but a very interesting place to work, lots of machine's cranking out buttons of all kinds but you had to be on your toes, it was a potentially dangerous place to be . All kinds of action going on around you.
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You are here: Experts > Home/Garden > Home Improvement/Repair > Electrical Wiring in the Home > AFIC tripping once a week
Expert: PASCACK VALLEY ELECTRIC Bob Mossman - 10/31/2009
Question
I recently purchased a home with aluminum wiring and am replacing it with copper. For the second floor I ran 6-3 from the main panel (50A breaker) to a new sub-panel on the second floor. From there I ran 12-2 to each of the bedrooms and installed SquareD 20A AFIC breakers, model HOM120AFIC. All wiring, receptacles, fixtures, and switches are new and of quality name brands. These two circuts are completely independant of each other. Since instillation (about 3 months ago) by a certified electrician both of my AFIC breakers trip once a week, usually every six days, and usually between 6:25 and 6:45 AM but not always. At least on three occasions we have returned home to the tripped AFICs so I am positive human influance is not the issue. They both trip at the same time always) and one is for my 2 year olds room that has no load except an LED night light. I have had all the connections re-checked with no issues. I find it interesting that it has always tripped both circuits, and has usually been early morning when there is no demand change (we are sleeping). This is eventually going to lead to my wife or I sleeping in for work and is a huge annoyance. Please provide me with some guidance other than what my electrician did. He told me that AFIC's do this sort of thing and to just deal with it or replace them with normal breakers. I find both suggestions unacceptable for my families safety I do not want to go a step back in safety. Thank You in advance, Rich
Answer
Rich,
When you installed the sub panel do you have a separate ground bar (terminal) for the bare ground wires that is not bonded (connected) to the neutral block (white wires) inside the sub panel. In other words you SHOULD have a separate area (ground bar) where the bare ground wires from your branch circuits terminate and then you have the neutral block (terminal) where all the white wires terminate. There should be no wire that connects the two and there should be no "bonding screw" that connects the neutral block to the metal of the panel VIA the screw, this will also connect the two together. If they are connected, unconnect them and see if your situaton improves. If they are not connected I want you to try putting these two circuits (breakers) on the same "main leg". If these 2 breakers are installed next to each other right now then swap just one of them with the breaker next to it so you end up with 1 breaker in between them which will put them on the same "main leg". See if this helps.
Bob
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