do we have to put arc fault breakers in panels if we're just replacing the panel [Music]
all right I had a really good question asked in the comments from Cali Electro dad
from the outlawed panels and Breakers video it says can you please point out a code section
that requires upgrading to afci Breakers when changing a panel my understanding of the exception
to 210.12d is that if the branch circuit wire from the final overcurrent to outlet is not changed and
no new devices are added then no afci is required he's right right so let's break open code [Music]
210.12d so 210.12 D is for branch circuit extensions or modifications dwelling unit
storm units and guest rooms and guest Suites where branch circuit wiring of any of these
areas specified in 210.12 a b or c is modified replaced or extended the branch circuit shall
be protected by one of the following by any of the means described in 210.12a1 through A6 or a listed
Outlet branch circuit type afci located the first receptacle Outlet of the existing branch circuit
so that is saying if branch circuit wiring is modified replaced or extended then you do have
to protect with an arc fault breaker or arc fault receptacle or one of these methods of Arc faulting
but there's an exception underneath that that says exception afci protection shall not be required
where the extension of the existing branch circuit conductors is not more than six feet so if you're
changing out like a foot of conductor technically you don't have to do it and does not include any
additional Outlets or devices other than splicing devices this measurement shall not include the
conductors inside an enclosure cabinet or junction box so essentially right there um if you're
changing out some wiring or if you're changing out a breaker and you're not extending the circuit or
anything technically no you don't have to change out arc fault breakers but I will say that it
depends on the authority having jurisdiction in your area is an inspector going to come or is you
know like even if a house is being sold later on and you have an inspector come and look at
the situation and be like oh we're not going to pass that because we want you to put our
fault protection in it's always down to the local Authority that has jurisdiction over these things
and in my area we have a whole bunch of different cities but amongst them there are cities that they
do not care they if you're doing anything in a house you have to go change every single one of
the receptacles to a tamper resistant receptacle if you've touched anything inside the house or at
the service if you've touched the service and you've pulled breakers out or you've pulled a
panel out put a new panel they don't care they're not going to pass your inspection unless you put
those fault breakers in so it's just a matter of knowing right like this thing I say this time and
time again this is a minimum standard this is a guide that governments and areas of jurisdiction
use to create their own standards with this is the bare kind of minimum and this isn't the only
one this is just the biggest group that make this the NFPA there's other codes out there that other
areas adhere to so this just kind of gives the authority and gives gives those in authority
a basis to say here's what we think is like a good way of doing this kind of work and
they will usually take it and they'll be like hmm lick your fingers and then stick
it in a book and flip pages like if you ever had a book and you just hand it to somebody
and they start reading and they're like oh thanks for letting me look through your book
and then they just give the thing back it's the most disgusting thing stop licking [ __ ] fingers
and putting them in Pages dude it's gross anyways this is something that a lot of times they will go
and look through and they'll figure out well we don't really like this we're not going to
worry about this and in fact this is 2020. we're just gonna stick with the 2008 because that's the
one that we like so it's not universal code is never Universal it's just that this is kind of a
universally agreed upon by the majority standard and it's the minimum standard you can always go
above and beyond it but even what's in here may not be how you have to do it out wherever you
live in Podunk whoeverville you always have to check with your Authority having jurisdiction
so they're really the ones that are going to have the say about it but my dude that was a very good
comment something I didn't mention um yes you you don't have to if you're Authority having
jurisdiction actually uses this standard you do not have to do that now if you're curious about
arcful protection in general I have a video right here this is afci GFCI dual function Breakers
kind of explains what each one's for and if you want to watch stuff about how Breakers actually
work this is a really good video too love you crazy people and I'll see you in the next one