What does AFCI stand for?

• A. Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter.
• B. Automatic Fused Circuit Interrupter.
• C. Arc Fault Current Indicator.
• D. Automatic Fault Circuit Interrupter.

Answer: (A)

AFCI stands for Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter. This device protects circuits by detecting arcing faults—those intermittent, high-energy electrical sparks that can ignite insulation or surrounding materials—and then immediately interrupting the circuit to prevent a fire. The wording matches the function exactly: Arc Fault identifies the dangerous arcing, Circuit refers to the electrical path being protected, and Interrupter is the mechanism that trips the breaker when an arc is detected. The other options describe terms that aren’t standard or don’t capture the protective, arc-detecting role of the device (for example, a term that suggests only indication without interruption, or a generic fault interrupter without specifying arc faults). In practice, AFCIs are used to reduce fire risk from arcing in residential wiring, complementing other protections like GFCIs for shock hazards.