If you have another AFCI breaker, swap them - your first one may be defective.

 

I have already tried that. I took an arc fault breaker form another circuit that has no problems but it didn't make a difference. The circuit was still tripping when plugging in my laptop power cord or fan.

Arnold

 

Many arc fault breakers give a code a to what made the breaker trip. Do a search for your type of breaker to see how to interpret the code.

From your list of loads on the circuit it doesn't sound like an overload. Arc fault breakers don't like some motors so your fan may be causing the trip. The transformer in your lap top may also be causing the trip problem.

 

Many arc fault breakers give a code a to what made the breaker trip. Do a search for your type of breaker to see how to interpret the code.

From your list of loads on the circuit it doesn't sound like an overload. Arc fault breakers don't like some motors so your fan may be causing the trip. The transformer in your lap top may also be causing the trip problem.

I was aware some motor and electronic device don't work well with arc fault breaks but I thought all current version of those breaker had address that? What I find odd is that none of my other arc fault circuit have had issues tripping while using a laptop power cord or a fan. IT's just that one circuit.

I'll try to dig up the code for my breaker and see what I can figure out from that.

Thanks,
Arnold

 

I don't know for sure and perhaps these ones don't have it. Do a search on that brand and type of breaker.

 

My Square D QO breaker have what they call the Time Saver Diagnostics which I tested all of my arc fault breakers. The circuit in question triggered right away but to my surprise, the circuit above it which is for the utility/laundry room also trigged right away. I never had any issues with it that circuit and it run the dehumidifier and two boot/mitten electric drier.

Trips instantly (less than one second)
Fault to Ground
• Arcing to ground
• Shared neutral
• Grounded neutral
• Ground fault

Arnold

 

Is there a spare space on the bus that you can move the offending circuit and breaker to?

 

So is this an accurate summary?

• The circuit has operated normally for 7 months with a variety of things plugged in but started tripping in the last month.
• You’ve tried two different breakers.
• The breakers trip even if nothing is plugged into a receptacle.
• You’ve checked all the receptacles (we assume only receptacles) for loose screwed connections (not back stab) or marrettes.

You would have had to check the black and white wire connections to the breaker when you swapped breakers (since its a plug-on neutral panel), but have you checked the ground connection for that cable?

Since the house seems to be still under construction, has there been any work done along the routing of the cable where a screw or nail could have damaged it?

 

So is this an accurate summary?

• The circuit has operated normally for 7 months with a variety of things plugged in but started tripping in the last month.
• You’ve tried two different breakers.
• The breakers trip even if nothing is plugged into a receptacle.
• You’ve checked all the receptacles (we assume only receptacles) for loose screwed connections (not back stab) or marrettes.

You would have had to check the black and white wire connections to the breaker when you swapped breakers (since its a plug-on neutral panel), but have you checked the ground connection for that cable?

Since the house seems to be still under construction, has there been any work done along the routing of the cable where a screw or nail could have damaged the cable?

That's pretty accurate except the problem went away after about 24-48 hours after the first time around without really figuring out what was causing the issue but around three weeks later (right now) the same problem returned.
This time the circuit only tripped when I plugged the laptop power cord or a desk fan in any of the plugs but the breaker wouldn't trip if it was just the Christmas tree light plugged in.

The only thing that was installed was the veneer stone at the back of the wood stove but nothing else, not even the baseboard that I still have to do.

I have not checked the ground in the panel to make sure that's all good but just like three weeks ago, the problem has disappeared. I can now plug in multiple laptop and run the desk fan on that circuit at the same time without any issues.

Arnold

 

It's the cord for the laptop charger. I've seen these, and phone chargers, trip an AFCI breaker. To test, plug the cord into another circuit that is AFCI protected.

 

That is what I thought but it I've tried different laptop and its own power cord with the same result. Also using a regular five year old desk fan would also trigger the breaker.

The issue is for the second time now the problem has disappears after about 24 hours without known why and what caused the "fix". Could the generator panel be causing this random issue if not properly wired or the heat pump furnace surge protector?

Arnold

 

I unplugged everything from the circuit but it was still tripping after a short period of time (1-5 minutes).

So this statement is not correct?

 

That was for the first time this whole thing occurred about a month but granted I did not have the Christmas tree lights install or something of low power consumption plugged-in that circuit at that time. The second time around it was not an issue but I am not sure if LED have such a low power draw that it didn't affect anything compared to a fan or a charging laptop with a bigger load!
In terms of construction, nothing has been done to those wall since drywall except for the veneer stone behind the wood stove that was done at the begin of July 2023.

• Why would the circuit just random trip only when there is a bigger load on it but not when there is either nothing or very small load?
• Why does it all of a sudden "disappear" and everything goes back to normal?

Thank you,
Arnold

 

Look for a neutral/ground bond somewhere on the circuit. Take every device out and look for white wire touching or barely touching the bare ground wire. It seems to take a heavier load to trip the breaker thus you have an intermittent problem to run down. Take apart every fixture, outlet, etc. to find the fault. It could be as hard as finding a drywall screw making the bond. Lots of possibilities.

After taking the circuit apart and before connecting anything.....close the breaker.....does it hold. If yes start reassembling the circuit one at a time from the breaker on out each time checking for a trip by putting a load at each location.

Good luck.