Siemens AFCI User manual

QUICK START GUIDE
AFCI Diagnostic
Circuit Breaker
Revision .
usa.siemens.com/AFCI_diagnostics

Table of Contents
Safety Precautions 
Purpose 
Setup 
Connecting your Mobile Device to the Diagnostic Breaker 
Menu Overview 
Status Screen 
Capturing Data 
Download a previous Waveform Capture – Last Trip Waveform 
Setting Up a Waveform Capture – Manual Trigger 
Viewing History 
Resolving the Issue 
Sending Arc Fault Data to Siemens 
Troubleshooting 
Can’t Connect to Diagnostic Breaker 
Can’t download Last Trip Waveform from Diagnostic Breaker 
Support 
Common Noisy Waveform Shapes 

AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker Quick Start Guide

Safety Precautions
DANGER Hazardous Voltage. Will cause death or serious injury. Only to be used by
qualified personnel.
Turn off and lock out power supplying equipment before installing AFCI.
Safety Instructions
1. AFCI circuit breakers must be installed and serviced by a qualified electrician only.
2. To be installed only on a single phase 120VAC grounded system.
3. To prevent severe shock or electrocution, always turn the power off before working on or inside
equipment.
4. Replace all doors and covers before turning on power to this equipment.
Do not open. No user serviceable parts inside. If damaged, please return to Siemens Industry Inc. at:
 Parkway Lane
Peachtree Corners, GA , USA
WARNING: This device is only for use on single phase V circuits. DO NOT connect to higher
voltage electrical supplies. Connecting this device to any circuit with voltages above V will
cause damage to the equipment and could result in injury or death.
CAUTION: DO NOT use if device appears damaged in any way.
Hazard of Equipment Damage. Will cause Damage to the AFCI Module. Do not reverse-feed or
back-wire. Do not subject to megger, high voltage, or hi-pot test. Remove the breaker before
hi-pot occurs on the system or on the circuit.
Risk Of Danger
It is important that users of this device read, understand, and follow all warnings, cautions, safety
information, and instructions in this manual before operating this device. Failure to follow instructions
could result in death or serious injury.

Quick Start Guide AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker

Purpose
The purpose of the Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) Diagnostic Breaker is to help identify and diagnose
why AFCI breakers may be tripping. AFCI breakers monitor electrical signals on the wiring for conditions that
are present during an arc-fault event. Commonly, this is due to loose, frayed, or damaged wiring. Some-
times, this can be attributed to inadequate filtering of RF noise from devices in the home. The diagnostic
tool helps pinpoint the root cause by taking measurements of these signals.
Setup
Connecting your Mobile Device to the Diagnostic Breaker
. Replace AFCI breaker that is known to trip
with Diagnostic Breaker
. Turn Diagnostic Breaker ON.
. To begin pairing, press and hold PTT
button on breaker until the PWR LED
begins to blink. This takes approximately
 seconds.
. When breaker is available, it will populate
as shown in the image. If the screen does
not populate, click the refresh icon at
the top of the screen.
Android
• Tap the breaker to connect
• Device will auto connect
iPhone
• Tap the breaker to connect
• When asked for a PIN to pair, enter
.

AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker Quick Start Guide

Menu Overview
Status Screen
The Status screen will provide basic data about the breaker connected. The most useful section for this
screen is the RF Noise Level. Watch for levels that fluctuate or exceed the Green bars for any potential
unwanted trip issues. In addition to RF Noise, the Load Current can be monitored.
RF Noise may cause unwanted tripping with
enough Load Current. The more bars, the more
likely RF noise interference is causing unwanted
tripping.
Use waveform data (using the Record tab) to help
determine if the noise is an issue.
Breaker connection status is displayed at the top of
the App.
NOTE: The phone must remain within  feet of
the breaker to maintain connection.
In addition to RF noise, the Load Current can be
monitored.
There are  menu options located at the bottom
of the screen.

Quick Start Guide AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker

Capturing Data
Download a previous Waveform Capture – Last Trip Waveform
Use this setting if the breaker was installed and has recorded a trip event.
After the breaker trips, reconnect to the breaker by turning the breaker OFF then ON. Next press the bluetooth
icon in the top right corner. If the breaker does not reconnect, follow the steps described in the Connecting
you Mobile Device to the Diagnostic Breaker section of the guide.
Next, follow the steps below:
3.
. Tap Record from the bottom menu options.
. Under the Settings header, click the
arrow to expand the menu options.
. Choose “Last Trip Waveform” as the Trigger
Source.
. Tap Save Settings.
. Expand Record Info and enter site
information.
. Expand Graph.
. Scroll down until you see the blue Record
button:
Continued on next page
icon indicates the breaker is not connected to the app
icon indicates the breaker is connected to the app

AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker Quick Start Guide

Setting Up a Waveform Capture – Last Trip Waveform (continued)
Once you tap the Record button, the app will display
“Waiting for capture”, as shown in the image.
A few seconds later, the breaker should display the
message “Fetching records”. Then, the graph will update
with the information that was stored from the last trip
event.
If you do not see the “Fetching Records” prompt. You may
be too far away from the load center. Ensure you are
within  ft. of the load center.
After the breaker loads the data, a graph will be displayed,
showing Load Current and RSSI (RF noise).
Tap the icon to save the graph to your mobile device
to view later or share later using the History tab.
Tap the icon to share the data via email.
TIP: You can also pinch to zoom on the graph to change
the x-axis and y-axis scaling.

Quick Start Guide AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker

Setting Up a Waveform Capture – Manual Trigger
Use the Manual Trigger option if you would like to capture a live snapshot of the diagnostic breaker. This
may help identify RSSI (RF noise) that exists in the background contributing to arc-like characteristics.
If no trip can be captured, use Manual Trigger.
This setting is used to manually capture data at
the moment “Record” is pressed.
. Tap Record from the bottom menu
options.
. Under the Settings header, click the
arrow to expand the menu options.
. Choose “Manual Trigger” as the Trigger
Source.
. Tap Save Settings.
. Expand Record Info and enter site
information.
. Expand Graph.
. Scroll down until you see the blue Record
button:
Continued on next page

AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker Quick Start Guide

Setting Up a Waveform Capture – Manual Trigger (continued)
Once you tap the Record button, the app will display
“Waiting for capture”, as shown in the image.
A few seconds later, the breaker should display the
message “Fetching records”.
A waveform from the manually triggered event will then
be displayed in the Graph section.
After data is captured, a graph will be displayed, showing
Load Current and RSSI (RF noise).
Tap the icon to save the graph to your mobile device
to view or share later.
Tap the icon to share the data via email.
TIP: You can also pinch to zoom on the graph to change
the x-axis and y-axis scaling.

Quick Start Guide AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker

Viewing History
You can view saved captures from previous tests by accessing the History.
When launching the App, this is found at the bottom of the Home screen or at the top of the Record tab.
OR

AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker Quick Start Guide

Resolving the Issue
Once the cause of unwanted tripping has been identified, it is recommended that the root cause be
addressed to eliminate future unwanted trip events in the future. Repairs to defects in wiring or other
damaged components should only be performed by a qualified electrician. Any excessive RF noise identified
in the home should be saved and reported to the manufacturer. Files saved can also be shared with Siemens
for further support.
Sending Arc Fault Data to Siemens
You can also send saved captures of recently recorded events directly to Siemens for further analysis and
troubleshooting.
To access the History menu, please see the Viewing History section.
Send event files to: [email protected]
Tap share icon
to email data
to Siemens
Tap dropdown
arrow in History
menu

Quick Start Guide AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker

Troubleshooting
Can’t Connect to Diagnostic Breaker
When connecting to the Diagnostic Breaker, make sure you are withing - feet and use pairing code
.
If you receive an “Unable to pair device” message, press and hold the blue Push to Test button on the front of
the breaker for at least  seconds while the breaker handle is in the ON position. The PWR LED should begin
blinking. Release the button and try to pair again.

AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker Quick Start Guide

Can’t download Last Trip Waveform from Diagnostic Breaker
In rare instances, the Diagnostic Breaker may continually trip while trying to retrieve the Last Trip Waveform
data through the AFCI Diagnostics mobile App.
If this occurs, the breaker’s memory needs to be cleared and a new trip event needs to be captured.
To clear the Diagnostic Breaker’s memory, press the Push-to-Test button on the front of the breaker for less
than  second.
The breaker should trip. Reset the circuit breaker by switching the handle to the “OFF” position and then to
the “ON” position.
The breaker is now ready to capture a new waveform.
Once the breaker trips again, please follow steps in Download a previous Waveform Capture – Last Trip
Waveform for more information on retrieving trip data from the tripped diagnostic breaker.
Support
For further support, please contact [email protected]

Quick Start Guide AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker

Common Noisy Waveform Shapes
Common waveform shapes of nuisance loads shown below can be used as a guide to determine if noise
captured from the Diagnostic Breaker may contribute to unwanted tripping.
No Noise Series Arc
LED Lights Blender
BPL BPL

AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker Quick Start Guide

Microwave Clothes Dryer
Hair Dryer

Quick Start Guide AFCI Diagnostic Circuit Breaker

©  by Siemens Industry, Inc.
Legal Manufacturer
Siemens Industry, Inc.
 Parkway Ln.
Peachtree Corners, GA 
United States of America
Telephone: + () -
www.usa.siemens.com/AFCI_diagnostics
Order No. RPIM-DBREAK-
This document contains a general description of available technical
options only, and its effectiveness will be subject to specific variables
including field conditions and project parameters. Siemens does not
make representations, warranties, or assurances as to the accuracy or
completeness of the content contained herein. Siemens reserves the
right to modify the technology and product specifications in its sole
discretion without advance notice.