Arc-fault Circuit Interrupters - QO

Square D® combination arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs) are the first commercially available products designed to comply with the requirements of the National Electrical Code® (NEC®) for combination AFCI protection. Combination AFCI circuit breakers have the ability to sense and respond to a broader range of arcing incidents than standard AFCI circuit breakers, providing enhanced protection against electrical fires for homes and families.

Combination AFCI circuit breakers provide an added dimension of safety for homeowners by sensing and responding to both parallel and series arcing incidents. Series arcing is often associated with damaged devices or cord sets. A series arc is an arcing incident across a break in a conductor. A common example is a cut across one of the two wires in a lamp cord, with a dangerous arc forming in the gap. Combination AFCI circuit breakers detect the arcing condition and turn off the circuit, thus providing the enhanced protection.

View an animated example of a series arc and a parallel arc - www.afcisafety.org.

Combination arc fault circuit breakers are UL-listed, and are available now in QO® and Homeline® single-pole circuit breakers with 15 and 20-ampere ratings.

View the current NEC adoption status of your state.

Free 10-Minute Online Training Course for Combination Arc-fault Circuit Interrupters
Schneider Electric offers a complimentary self-paced online training course designed to quickly get any electrical contractor or inspector up-to-date on the use of combination arc fault circuit interrupters in residential installation or renovation.

Go directly to Combination AFCI Training Course.