Arc breaker tripping

QuestionEdit

Hi, Your help is much appreciated. We have just moved into a newly constructed house in Huntersville, NC and one of the ARC breaker keeps tripping. I have been reading about ARC breakers on the web today. I wanted to get some clarity on a few items, which I think my electrician is not telling me the specifics.

So the scenario is I have the master bedroom, sun room and part of the family room on one breaker which happens to be a 15 amp ARC breaker. This controls both the receptacles and lights in these rooms. We are having some heating issues (heat pump) so we are using a space heater (1500W) in the master bedroom as well as a 250W humidifier, in the sun room we have a Dell Desktop (6A), a monitor (2A) and we plug in a laptop in the bedroom the breaker trips. The odd thing is that the breaker does not trip right away or keeps tripping imediately after resetting it. It would trip in the middle of the night, after having the appliances running for awhile randomly.

1. Should the breaker be on both the receptacles and lights or on only one, from reading articles it seems to be only required for receptacles.

2. Is it standard code that the ARC breaker can have both receptacles and lights connected to it, or does government code specify exactly what can be connected to an ARC breaker.

3. Is it code to have so many rooms on one breaker?

Any help would be appreciated, seems like we both a "lemon", not sure if it applies for a house.

AnswerEdit

Hello not sure what your city or county codes are but the nec code book states as follows. all 120 volt single phase 15 and 20 ampere branch circuits supplying outlets installed in a dwelling unit aka family rooms dining rooms living rooms parlors dens bed rooms shall be protected by a listed arc fault circuit interrupter combination type to provide protection of the branch circuit. ok now from the sound of what you have all on the circuit is over loaded. if i were you i would call the inspector that inspected the electric in your home. or call the county court house and ask to speak to code enforcement. sorry so long hope this help ty