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Can GFCI and AFCI be on the same circuit?
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Yes, GFCI and AFCI can be on the same circuit. In fact, some circuits are now required to have both. Kitchens and laundry rooms were added to the list of circuits required to have AFCI protection in the 2014 edition of the National Electrical Code (NEC), and they were already required to be GFCI-protected.
Circuits can be AFCI/GFCI protected several ways: by a GFCI-breaker in the panel and AFCI-receptacle at first outlet in the circuit, or AFCI-breaker and GFCI-receptacle at first outlet in circuit, or there is also a Dual Function Circuit Interrupter (DFCI) available that provides both types of protection in one circuit breaker.
Also, see our blog posts What is a Dual Function Circuit Interrupter (DFCI)? and When were GFCI receptacle outlets first required? and When did arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) breakers first become required?
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Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about AFCI and GFCI RECEPTACLES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS:
• Does a septic pump or sump pump require a GFCI-receptacle?
• What is the difference between what trips a GFCI (ground fault) receptacle and a circuit breaker?
• Are Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs) really necessary and worth the trouble?
• What is the code requirement for GFCI protection for receptacles near a wet bar sink?
• When was GFCI-protection for kitchen dishwasher receptacle outlet first required?
• Does a washing machine receptacle outlet require GFCI protection?
• My spa tub stopped working. What's wrong?
• How do I identify a combination AFCI (CAFCI) circuit breaker?
• What does "listed and labeled" mean for an electrical component?
• What electrical hazards does a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) NOT protect against?
• What is the difference between GFCI and AFCI circuit breakers?
• What happens when you press the "TEST" button on a circuit breaker in an electric panel?
• What is the difference between the electric service to a mobile home and a site built home?
• Why is there a wall switch next to the furnace or indoor unit of the air conditioner in the garage?
• How I can tell if a receptacle outlet is tamper resistant?
• What is the difference between "grounded" and "grounding" electrical conductors?
• What does it mean when a wire is "overstripped" at a circuit breaker?
• Why is there a GFCI breaker in the electric panel for the bathroom shower light and exhaust fan?
• What is the switch on the wall with two pushbuttons?
• How far apart should kitchen counter receptacles be spaced?
• How far above a kitchen countertop do electrical outlets have to be?
• My GFCI reset button is hard to push and won't reset. What's wrong?
• Why do some breakers in my electric panel have a "TEST" button on them?
Visit our AFCI AND GFCI page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.
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