Ok...... My opinion is a switch or switch box is not a point on the branch circuit that was intentionally
installed to be used for the connection of utilization equipment in the bedroom and does not meet the definition of an outlet, therefore Andys 3-Way in the bedroom does not require AFCI.
Reasoning
ART. 210.12 (B)
All 120 volt single phase 15 and 20 amp branch circuits supplying
outlets installed in a dwelling units bedroom shall be protected by a listed afci combination type.
First lets start at Art. 100 NEC definitions
1.)
Outlet..... A point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment.
2.)
Utilization equipment .... Equipment that Utilizes electric energy for electronics, electromechanical, chemical, heating, lighting or similar purposes.
3.)
Branch Circuit ... the circuit conductors between the final overcurrent protection device protecting the circuit and the branch circuit
outlet(s).
4.)
Device ... a unit of an electrical system that is intended to carry or control
but not utilize the electrical energy
5.)
Disconnecting means ... a device or group of devices or other means by which the conductors of a circuit can be disconnected from the source of their supply.
6.)
Lighting outlet.... obviously an outlet
7.)
Receptacle ..... A receptacle is a contact device
installed at an outlet for the connection of an attachement plug
8.)
Receptacle outlet ... obviously an outlet
Now these are some of relative definitions... of course other articles use terms like heating outlet and so forth.
Switch is defined six times in article 100 none of those definitions refer to it as an outlet. However it is refered to as a device and it definitely fits the definition of a device and/or a disconnecting means.
Notice that a device does not utilize electrical energy. Art. 210.12 (B) requires a point on the premise wiring system (branch circuit) that you can take energy to supply utilizing equipment. You can't do that at a switch.
Now lets look at a lighting outlet that has the switch on the fixture and hardwired to the electrical box. The electrical box is the end point of the branch circuit conductors ( please read the definition for branch circuit) Where the branch circuit conductors end can be an outlet if it is a point where you can supply energy to utilizing equipment like appliances. Branch circuit conductors don't end on switches they end at the point of utilization of energy
Same logic for a switch receptacle combination. You don't take the electrical energy from the switch. For that matter you don't take it from the receptacle as it to is a device and does not utilize electrical energy. It does however carry the load and provides for the
point of connection to supply electrical energy to utilizing equipment. This point on the branch circuit becomes an outlet. A switch does not do this in any way shape or form. It is not the switch in the box that defines the requirement for AFCI. Even if Andy's 3-way were in a box with a receptacle installed on a branch circuit serving that bedroom therefore making that box an outlet it would not require AFCi but the receptacle obviously would because it provides a point of connection to its branch circuit conductors.
Remember that 210.12(B) requires branch circuits
serving outlets in the bedroom. His branch circuit for the 3-ways does not serve an outlet in the bedroom,
unless the switch is an outlet.
This is the diagram from the ul link i posted earlier showing point of use combination afci on the first
outlet protecting the downstream
outlets on its load side... anybody see any switches on that branch circuit..take notice there is a light.... so why isn't the switch shown? They show the light but not the switch hmmmm wonder why??? Cause a switch isn't an outlet. They are only showing the required protection points of utilization or in other words the outlets.
Now look at NEC....404.2 (A)... 3-Way and 4-Way switches shall be wired so that all switching is done only in the ungrounded conductors between the
switches and their outlets. Obviously the NEC does not consider the switch an outlet. Remember the switch as defined by the NEC is a device and a device is defined to not utilize electrical energy. So the switch in itself cannot define the point on the wiring system where you can connect utilization equipment. A receptacle box does or a lighting box does or a fan box does, any point (electrical box) on the branch circuit that was
installed to
connect utilization equipment to the branch circuit conductors is an outlet box.
Now lets look at the definition of Branch circuit ...notice the NEC definition says outlet or outlets. So lets just say since Andy's switch is in the bedroom in a box by itself we have to prove it is an outlet to require it to have afci. Otherwise this is a simple deal and the question isn't worthy. Lets say the branch circuit serves that switch only, the branch circuit conductors end in Andys switch box in that bedroom and go nowhere else. Unless it is an outlet it does not require afci by code. Same problem only different set up. Now it should be obvious that you can't utilize energy from that switch. The switch is a device...devices don't utilize electrical energy by definition. So i did not
install an outlet in the bedroom with the intent to plug in or use energy consuming appliances or other units.
The
outlet is the light box or fan box or heater box where the utilization equipment taps the branch circuit conductors to use the electrical energy. This can be either through a contact device like a receptacle or hardwired to the branch conductors in an electrical box like a ceiling light or ceiling fan. sconce, etc...
Its not the receptacle or switch or light or heater that defines the term outlet. It's the branch circuit serving an electrical box where you have
installed utilization equipment or installed a box for the intentional use of a light or fan or other or
installed a connection means like a receptacle to utilize the energy supplied by the branch circuit conductors.
The fact that I could convert the switch box to an outlet box is irrelevant. Until I do that afci is not required.
So Andy's switch in the bedroom has two things that keep it from needing afci it
isn't an
installed outlet and it
isn't on a branch circuit that serves an outlet in a bedroom.
Summary
A switch on a branch circuit inherently becomes afci protected if it controls a light or similar energy consuming unit in a bedroom because the switch controls an outlet point for energy consuming unit(s). That outlet point must land in the bedroom for afci to be required to protect the branch circuit ( circuit breaker type) or the outlet (point of use type).
A device... switch or receptacle... does not define the point on the branch circuit as being an outlet, neither utilizes the electrical energy supplied by the branch circuit conductors. An electrical box in itself also does not mean that because I have access to the branch circuit conductors it is an outlet box. What defines the point of utilization (outlet) is whether or not the electrical box is installed to provide for the connection in that box of utilization equipment.
Stubbie