All 120-volt, single phase, 15- and 20- ampere branch circuits supplying outlets installed in dwelling unit bedrooms shall be protected by a/an

All 120-volt, single phase, 15- and 20- ampere branch circuits supplying outlets installed in dwelling unit bedrooms shall be protected by a/an

• A. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
• B. Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter
• C. Overload Protector
• D. Surge Protector

Answer: (B)

Arcing faults are a common fire hazard in home wiring, especially in rooms with many outlets and cords. The protection being required here is arc-fault protection, which means using an arc-fault circuit interrupter to monitor for the signature of electrical arcing and quickly interrupt power to the circuit. This helps prevent fires that can start from loose connections, damaged insulation, or worn conductors in 120-volt single-phase 15- and 20-amp branch circuits that feed bedroom outlets. An AFCI can be a breaker in the panel or a combination device at the outlet, but either way it senses the distinctive, abnormal current patterns of arcing and trips before a fire can start. This is different from a ground-fault interrupter, which focuses on detecting leakage to ground to protect against shock in wet areas, or from surge protectors and generic overload devices, which do not specifically address arcing faults. So, for bedroom outlets on 15/20-amp, 120-volt circuits, arc-fault protection is the protection required.

Arcing faults are a common fire hazard in home wiring, especially in rooms with many outlets and cords. The protection being required here is arc-fault protection, which means using an arc-fault circuit interrupter to monitor for the signature of electrical arcing and quickly interrupt power to the circuit. This helps prevent fires that can start from loose connections, damaged insulation, or worn conductors in 120-volt single-phase 15- and 20-amp branch circuits that feed bedroom outlets.

An AFCI can be a breaker in the panel or a combination device at the outlet, but either way it senses the distinctive, abnormal current patterns of arcing and trips before a fire can start. This is different from a ground-fault interrupter, which focuses on detecting leakage to ground to protect against shock in wet areas, or from surge protectors and generic overload devices, which do not specifically address arcing faults.

So, for bedroom outlets on 15/20-amp, 120-volt circuits, arc-fault protection is the protection required.