GFCI and AFCI Protection in the 2026 NEC — Where, What Rating, and the Exceptions
Every Texas exam has GFCI/AFCI items — 10 to 15 questions on the Journeyman knowledge portion sit in this subject area — and the 2026 edition reorganised 210.8 and added a new 210.12(E). This lesson is written from the 2026 text.
NFPA 70 National Electrical Code, 2026 edition · Reviewed 2026-09-19
Every Texas exam has GFCI/AFCI items — 10 to 15 questions on the Journeyman knowledge portion sit in this subject area — and the 2026 edition reorganised 210.8 and added a new 210.12(E). This lesson is written from the 2026 text.
1. What the devices are (Article 100)
- GFCI (Class A) — a personnel-protection device that de-energises the circuit when the ground-fault current exceeds the Class A value. The Informational Note gives the numbers the exam wants: trips at 6 mA or more; must not trip below 4 mA.
- SPGFCI (special-purpose GFCI) — Class C, D and E devices for equipment: trip at 20 mA or more, not below 15 mA. Class C is for circuits not over 300 V to ground with reliable grounding or double insulation; Class D and E are for over 300 V to ground. Class C is the one named in the new HVAC exception.
- GFPE (ground-fault protection of equipment) is a different animal: it protects equipment from line-to-ground fault damage at levels far above personnel protection (see 230.95 / 210.13 — 1000 A disconnects on 480Y/277 V systems).
- AFCI — de-energises when it recognises the characteristics of an arc fault.
- 210.3: reconditioned GFCI and AFCI equipment is not permitted.
Preview
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