{"id":26872,"date":"2025-09-30T12:45:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T18:45:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/scotthomeinspection.com\/?p=26872"},"modified":"2025-09-30T12:45:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-30T18:45:09","slug":"explaining-the-square-d-afci-breaker-recall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/scotthomeinspection.com\/explaining-the-square-d-afci-breaker-recall\/","title":{"rendered":"Explaining the Square D AFCI Breaker Recall"},"content":{"rendered":"

As electrical panels developed and evolved over the years, sometimes certain features turned out to be not so safe. If you do have an older panel, it’s important to be aware of era-specific defects that might be present.<\/p>\n

There have been some pretty serious factory recalls throughout the decades – such as Federal Pacific Panels<\/a>, Zinsco Panels<\/a>, aluminum wiring<\/a> etc. But in this blog, we will be discussing a much more recent electrical issue – the Square D AFCI recall.<\/p>\n

What’s An AFCI?<\/h2>\n

Before we get into the Square D dilemma, let’s have a quick recap about Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters<\/a>. AFCIs are located on individual breakers in modern electrical panels. Their sole purpose is to shut off the electricity to the breaker when any electrical arcing<\/a> is detected.<\/p>\n

\"electrical<\/a>

electrical arcing<\/p><\/div>\n

Electrical arcing<\/a> can occur from a number of reasons, such as gaps in wire insulation, frayed or damaged wiring, dust accumulation, or corrosion. If there is an interruption in the normal circuit, the electrical current might try to jump a gap to another nearby conductor. As the electricity travels through the air, it creates a bright and hot stream of plasma, which can cause fires, electrocution, and even explosions.<\/p>\n

Needless to say, we do not want arcing to occur, which is why our friend, the AFCI, is so important. And we certainly want our AFCIs to function properly!<\/p>\n

Square D AFCI Breaker Recall<\/h2>\n

In November 2004, Schneider Electric<\/a> announced a recall on all Square D AFCI breakers manufactured between March 1, 2004 and September 23, 2004. There was a microchip in the breaker that was not reliably detecting characteristics of arcing. This was a huge safety and fire hazard, so the company had to issue replacements and refunds to any customers with these units.<\/p>\n

At the time, around 700,000 units had been sold nationwide. Many of them were replaced, but it’s highly likely that some still remain out there.<\/p>\n

How to Identify a Defective Square D AFCI<\/h2>\n

So how can you tell whether or not you’re looking at one of the recalled units? It helps to know the year of the home and when your current electric panel was installed. Next, make sure the breakers are manufactured by Square D.<\/p>\n

The most noticeable characteristic of a defective AFCI will be its blue test button. If it does not have a blue button, you are in the clear. However<\/em>, just because it has blue button does not necessarily mean it’s a defective model. There are certain iterations of breakers with blue test buttons that are fully functional.<\/p>\n

\"Square<\/a>

Image sourced from: https:\/\/www.cpsc.gov\/<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

The next defining factor will be its catalog number, which is located on the front under the test button. According to the Schneider Electric website<\/a> the following catalog numbers are recalled:<\/p>\n