Arc Fault Breakers and model train transformers ??

[Anonymous]

I am rewiring my home and am curious if anyone has experience with the new "Arc Fault Detection" type breakers and how they may react to train transformers ??.

[Anonymous]

I assume you mean "Arc Suppresion" breakers. Transformers are very rugged devices, that'a why 50 year old ones still work. They are hard to damage. Your TV will blowout long before the transformer will be hurt.

Ken

[lionelsoni]

Ken, I'm afraid that's not the same. Arc suppression techniques are used to extingui***he arc that forms when a circuit breaker opens. Arc fault detection is a new feature that trips a breaker when there is arcing in the load circuit. It is rapidly being made a requirement for new construction.

Schoome's concern is reasonable if he is using any of the newer, more electronic "transformers". Simple, traditional transformers are unlikely to draw anything but sinusoidal currents and almost certainly won't trip the new breakers; but the current waveforms from the new equipment can be pretty weird and just might fool them into tripping. Unfortunately, I have no experience that would answer the question one way or the other.