Breaker Won't Trip, Is It Bad?

[Briandl]

Thanks for the heads-up, I just didn't understand exactly how breakers work, but now I do.

Does anyone know if arc fault breakers will work with ceiling fans? I was reading that they don't work with electric motors such as treadmills, or dishwashers.

[jadnashua]

Many motors have brushes in them, and those will cause some arcs. I think they'd be problematic on an arc-fault breaker.

[thefonz]

Standard circuit brakers will not trip simply due to an arc. That's why there are the relatively new Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters, which do trip in that circumstance.

You want to make sure that you do not have Federal Pacific Electric (FPE) breakers and panel. A high % do not trip when they should; they also have other well documented problems. Serious stuff. Please take the 60 seconds to look at the panel.

Sometimes known as "Federal no blows"