SafetyQuestion 476 of 521
What is the fundamental difference between AFCI and GFCI protection?
a.GFCI protects people from shock by detecting ground-fault (leakage) current, while AFCI protects against fires by detecting dangerous arcing faults
b.They are identical devices with different names
c.AFCI detects the 5 mA shock current to protect people
d.GFCI is designed to prevent arcing fires in walls
Explanation
A GFCI detects small ground-fault/leakage current to protect people from shock, whereas an AFCI senses the signature of dangerous arcing and opens to prevent fires. They are not the same device, AFCI is not a 5 mA shock protector, and GFCI is not primarily a fire-prevention arc detector.
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