Bill Lutz, an electrician with Generation 3 Electric in Philadelphia defines what an arc fault breaker is:
Arc faults are one of the leading causes of electrical fires at home. An arc fault breaker, or arc fault circuit interrupter, detects faulty electricity arcs such as loose connections and damaged wires and immediately cuts powre if a wire, cord or appliance starts to spark. They have been shown to stop fires. The only downside is that it can be a nuisance if your breaker gets tripped because of a minor surge that is not dangerous. But considering the alternative, it seems a small price to pay. In the near future, EFCIs — Electrical Fault Circuit Interrupters — will be used, which is a similar, but more advanced, technology.
A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) is a ground fault that is an accidental path between a current and the ground. If you touch a current source and a conduit that leads to the ground (like a water pipe) , you will essentially become a live wire and you can be electrocuted as electricity continuously flows through you.
GFCIs are outlets that can detect a sudden drainage of electricity and will turn off immediately. They measure the current flowing out versus what is flowing in. And if they detect that electricity is leaking via the non-planned path through your body, the circuit will immediately shut off. You might still get a slight shock, but a GFCI will save you from a fatal electrocution.
Bill Lutz is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a <a rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank” href=”http://www.local.yodle.com/articles”>Electrical Expert</a> or more <a rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank” href=”http://local.yodle.com/articles/topics/contractors-construction/electricians/”> Electrician </a> articles at Yodle Consumer Guide. <a rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank” href=”http://local.yodle.com/articles/what-is-a-gfci”> What is a GFCI?</a>
About Author
Bill Lutz is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a Electrical Expert or more Electrician articles at Yodle Consumer Guide. What is a GFCI?