AFCI breakers trip every 6 days like clockwork

suezby

I just bought a 3 year old home. The breaker box on the 2nd floor has 3 AFCI breakers (10kA), #10, 8, and 6. EXACTLY and without fail, every 6 days, all 3 trip in the same order (10, then 8, then 6), separated by several hours. There is nothing that we know of on a 6 day timer and the city claims it is not related to the grid. We also can't link the tripping to anything in particular being turned on, and it usually happens when everyone is downstairs and nothing is actively being plugged in or turned on. We have had all outlets and light switches inspected by an electrician and a few nicks were repaired, but the problem continues unabated. There are no junction boxes in the upstairs. Any thoughts about the cause would be greatly appreciated!

jbfan

Have the electrician move them away from each other.

Leave one at #6, move #8 to #14 and see if that changes anything.

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CheapCharlie

[quote=suezby;777270]There are no junction boxes in the upstairs./quote]


Are you sure about that? Worth another closer check IMO.

jimmy21

sounds like it probably does have something to do with the grid, but i have no idea why they would trip separately and not at the same time. This is a new one

suezby

Thanks for the thoughts. The prior owner (not an electrician) built the house and did the wiring himself He swears there are no junction boxes, and my electrician looked all around the attic and did not see one. I will try having my electrician move the breakers away from each other as suggested. I called Seattle City Light and they say it is something in the house, but they will "check the meter" just in case. Any other thoughts appreciated!

AllanJ

Farfetched: Some electric companies send high frequency signals through the power lines to activate such things as time of day off peak meters. These signals might be treated as arcing by an arc fault circuit interrupter.

This really should not trip the AFCI because only events happening downstream from the AFCI should trip it. (Otherwise arcing in one circuit might trip the AFCIs for several circuits.)

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AandPDan

Replace the breakers.

3 years is OLD for an AFCI breaker. The newer ones are better able to distinguish an arc fault condition versus "noise."

Billy_Bob

Report that here...

AFCI Unwanted Tripping Report
http://www.afcisafety.org/report.html