AFCI tripping

StevenNW

Hello:

Our home was recently remodeled and our kids rooms completely rebuilt. I did all the wiring. Yesterday I replaced the normal breakers with AFCI breakers are required by code. Both breakers immediately tripped. Unplugged everything, flipped them back on and when anything is plugged in and turned on they immediately trip. Read about shared neutrals and removed one of the breakers, problem persists. Both circuits are homeruns, #12 guage. Anyway to problem solve this?

Thanks

powerfactor

make sure breaker is wired correctly and eliminate any equipment ground to grounded conductor connections. these can be in any box in the circuit, and could be a ground wire touching the grounded conductor screw of a receptacle. you can have no continuity between grounded conductor and equipment ground. you can disconnect the circuit in the panel and ohm out the problem.

StevenNW

Thanks...by ohm out the problem do you mean check continuity between the ground and neutral at the panel? And then search around for where this continuity is occurring?

sirsparksalot

Please describe how you installed the AFCI

StevenNW

Pulled out the traditional breaker, screwed the black to the new AFCI breaker and the white pigtail to the neutral bus bar. Square-D QO box. Our box is 125 amps and there are up to 3 neutral wires in each screw hole on the neutral bus. Initially placed both pigtails in the same screw hole, then separated them, but they are all ultimately tied together on the bar so this didn't make any difference.

Thanks for the help.

sirsparksalot

Both the black hot wire and the white neutral wire attach to the AFCI, The coiled wire attaches to the neutral bus, so...

Find the neutral that was with the original black hot wire in the panel (look where the cable enters the panel). This neutral wire should be connected to the neutral bus. REMOVE it, and connect it to the AFCI breaker. See diagram below.

sirsparksalot

here's a pic (just found)

powerfactor

check out the diagrams sirsparks has given you, because if you are following my advise in order you may not need to ohm out the circuit. I think that sirsparks is on to the problem that you have not connected the breaker correctly. if that doesn't get you fixed up, then yes as long as you have continuity on those conductors while they are disconnected in the panel the afci will trip. good luck

StevenNW

Thanks guys! What an idiot I am....

sirsparksalot

Nope, you were intelligent enough to seek advice. How is it turning out?

StevenNW

Thanks to you folks the problem is solved. I should read instructions sometimes.

WillK

FYI, even though the OP found his problem to be incorrect connections at the breaker, the procedure for finding a ground wire to equipment ground connection helped me figure out my issue... I had an AFCI circuit that works fine but the last recepts in the circuit hadn't been finished, I did all of them but skipped the next in line, when I put in the last recep which connected to the hot wires, I started getting AFCI trips. I had a ground wire that was contacting a neutral in one of the later outlets.

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Please do NOT consider any "before" picture of my house as any kind of endorsement of any particular construction method. In fact, you should probably assume that if I post a "before" picture, I am posting it because I am soliciting advice on a proper replacement for one of MANY things done wrong by a previous owner.