AFCI breakers leaving shadow on cover - problem?

[PetrosA]

I recently worked in a CH-BR panel where I noticed heat/smoke shadows where the AFCI breakers are. Does this indicate any issue or problem with those breakers or is it normal? I've never seen anything like this before, but I've also never really paid attention to the back side of the cover.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

The problem is you don't know what was there before. It may have been an issue with a couple of dp breakers. To answer the question- no that is not normal.

 

[just the cowboy]

marks match

marks match

If you look at the u shaped slot in the smoke it looks the same as the breaker.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

There is a bit of the discoloration at each of the breaker knockouts. This is a common occurrence where there is a small amount of heat produced. It is not really smoke...just accumulated dirt and oils from the air driven by the convection flow caused by the increase in temperature of the breakers. AFCI breakers produce heat all the time and there is more air flow around them. Standard breakers only produce heat based on their loading and will have less air flow.

 

[mopowr steve]

Same thing you notice above smoke detectors, dimmer switches, etc any time heat is created no matter how small tends to carry as said before dirt, oils, carbons and stains the surface.

Athough that does seem to be excessive. Do the AFCI's still function properly?

 

[PetrosA]

Same thing you notice above smoke detectors, dimmer switches, etc any time heat is created no matter how small tends to carry as said before dirt, oils, carbons and stains the surface.

Athough that does seem to be excessive. Do the AFCI's still function properly?

The homeowner is a doctor and was connected to the hospital via VPN. I was not about to test the power to her office (in one of the bedrooms, so on AFCI). I will try the next time they call me back and recommend that she get a UPS for her computers and internet equipment.

 

[mbrooke]

I hope that's not the AFCIs. A power surge or loose neutral could cause that.


ID go back and check things out thoroughly.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Same thing you notice above smoke detectors, dimmer switches, etc any time heat is created no matter how small tends to carry as said before dirt, oils, carbons and stains the surface.

Although that does seem to be excessive. Do the AFCI's still function properly?

There will be a lot more heat and heat 100% of the time from the AFCI, because of the power supply and internal electronics in the AFCI. There have been a number of threads in the forums about the amount of heat from an AFCI.

 

[FREEBALL]

Ive noticed that before on covers and found loose terminals

 

[PetrosA]

Ive noticed that before on covers and found loose terminals

I checked the terminals and they seemed nice and tight.

 

[Sierrasparky]

Did anyone know that the Eaton AFCI breaker trips to the OFF position according the Eaton website.