Tracking down AFCI faults

[clare]

No limit. You could "paper" the walls with them as long as you can manage all the cable runs in a code compliant manner - neat and workmanlike - Good workmanship, or however they state it.

[Robert Green]

If it's easy to run new circuits, I say go for it. I tried to trace a fault in the outside porch lighting with a fox and hound and even a powered line tracer. Spent hours pulling boxes, taking meter readings and generally driving myself crazy. Turns out it was a cable staple that had sawed through the insulation over the decades just because of general vibrations, at least AFAICT. Although I couldn't replace all the old wiring with new runs, I moved a lot of higher amperage loads to new wiring.

When I was trying to find my arc fault I got an AFCI outlet with a pass through and installed it in the outlet boxes that I had opened. Found a backstabbed outlet downstream that way. It was arcing, but nothing you could hear or see.

[clare]

Perhaps he is just Watt's son?

[clare]

First rule when troubleshooting ANY home electrical problem. Eliminate ALL backstabbed connections on ALL devices. No IFS, ANDS or BUTS

. If possible replace all devices with spec grade devices