How to Install an ARC Circuit Breaker
- 1). Remove the cover to the service panel/breaker panel.
- 2). Turn on your work light and turn off the main service disconnect breaker. As a rule, this large, two-pole breaker will be located at the very top of your service panel.
- 3). Set your DMM for an appropriate AC Voltage range and check for voltage between both Buss Bars and system ground to make sure that the panel is safe to work on. Use caution here because although the Buss Bars are safe to work on, the heavy lugs at the top of the panel where the conductors bring power into the panel are connected are live.
- 4). Install the AFCI Breaker. Depending on the style of panel that you are working on, the breaker may simply snap in place or it may be secured to the Buss Bars with a screw or bolt.
- 5). Uncoil the white pigtail coming out of the breaker and route it down to the panel's neutral bar. Cut off any excess length, strip off ¾-inches of insulation and secure under one of the compression connector screws on the neutral bar.
- 6). Attach the branch circuit conductors to the AFCI breaker's terminal screws. The black, hot wire connects to the brass colored screw and the white, neutral conductor connects to the silver colored screw.
- 7). Route the bare copper grounding conductor to the panels ground bar and secure in place.
- 8). Turn on the main service disconnect breaker and the newly installed AFCI breaker.
- 9). Test the AFCI breaker by pushing the test button on the AFCI breaker to simulate an arc fault condition. The breaker should trip open. Reset it.
- 10
Close up the service panel.
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