Electrical safety is paramount, especially with electrical devices and equipment in a commercial or industrial setup. Turning a blind eye to electrical safety puts your business at a high risk of serious electrical faults that can lead to fire hazards.
To minimise these dangers, the UK’s wiring regulations, also known as the 18th Edition Amendments, have introduced a safety feature called Arc Fault Detection Devices (AFDD).
In this blog post, we’re here to help you understand what AFDDs are, how an AFDD works, and where and when an AFDD should be used.
An AFDD is an advanced electrical safety device that detects and minimises the risks associated with arc faults. Arc faults occur when an unexpected electrical discharge passes through an air gap between conductors. This stray charge causes intense heat and sparks that lead to fire hazards.
A commercial AFDD installation ensures your circuits are constantly monitored for any potentially dangerous arc faults. If faults are detected, this device disconnects the power supply to prevent fire risks. An AFDD can include either manual or automatic testing.
AFDDs offer the same level of protection as traditional circuit breakers by breaking the power supply after detecting short circuits or the excessive flow of current.
These devices use sensors and advanced algorithms to identify the typical characteristics of arc faults, such as rapid changes in current and voltage waveforms and high-frequency noise. The automatic AFDD test function checks the arc detection circuit.
Once an AFDD detects an arc fault, it quickly interrupts the electrical current flow and prevents the arc from continuing and leading to a fire.
Installing AFDDs in your commercial setup adds an additional layer of safety. If you’re looking for a comprehensive power surge protection plan for your commercial or industrial space, contact us today.
There are a number of different types of AFDDs available:
The 18th Edition Amendments of the UK wiring regulations, published in 2018, require the installation of AFDDs in certain types of electrical circuits. According to BS 7671:2018+A2:2022, an AFDD installation is required to protect buildings from fires that could lead to severe damage.
AFDDs protect your premises from arc faults, which are common in equipment plugged into the electrical installation. This is why the requirement is focused on circuits supplying socket outlets.
Some setups that typically require AFDDs are:
AFDDs are required when carrying out new electrical installation work in these buildings, whether it’s a complete installation or an addition or alteration to an existing circuit.
Upgrading an existing circuit to include AFDDs isn’t required when carrying out simple maintenance work, such as like-for-like replacements.
Although they’re only mandatory for circuits supplying socket outlets rated up to 20 amperes (A) in dwelling units, AFDDs are equally important in commercial premises.
There are other important scenarios that don’t fall in the above categories, but where the risk of fire is high and installing an AFDD can be important. These include:
The use of AFDDs is recommended for single-phase AC final circuits supplying socket-outlets not exceeding 32 A. Although this is a recommendation and not a requirement, AFDD installation is a critical safety measure to keep commercial premises safe from damage due to electrical arcs.
Installing AFDDs on your commercial property adds numerous benefits in terms of safety:
AFDDs significantly reduce the risk of fires and protect lives and your business property by detecting and interrupting arc faults at an early stage. You keep your business constantly protected from damage caused by arc faults.
Conventional circuit breakers mainly focus on protecting circuits from overcurrent and short-circuit faults. AFDDs go beyond this level of protection by offering comprehensive coverage against potential fire hazards.
AFDD installations meet the 18th Edition Amendments of the UK wiring regulations, allowing you to create a safer environment for residents while meeting regulatory standards.
Installing AFDDs is an important safety feature for your commercial premises, and these devices need to be installed by competent electricians in the UK. According to the 18th edition of the Wiring Regulations (BS 7671), to install AFDD devices, you need to hire electricians who are:
You can count on Oaktree Electrical’s team to help you with a smooth and hassle-free AFDD installation for your commercial and industrial premises.
Call 01322 552888 to get in touch with us.
