New buildings in Romania must be built with arc fault protection

The new buildings that will be built in Romania must have protection systems for arc faults, one of the main causes of fires, included in the electrical installations. Eaton Romania supported the harmonization of the legislation in this segment with the European one and aims to continue providing state-of-the-art solutions for real estate projects in the country.

Order No 959/2023 amending and supplementing the technical regulation “Regulations for the design, execution and operation of electrical installations related to buildings” introduced into the legislation in the electrical installation segment for the use of “protective devices for fault protection (protection against indirect touching)”, as well as the concept of “additional protection by automatic disconnection when an arc fault occurs”.

AFDDs (arc fault protective devices) must therefore be used when electrical installation is carried out in certain types of new buildings, or the upgrading of old buildings, whether residential, industrial or other. (AFDD is recommended to be used in any type of building, but is only mandatory in certain buildings or buildings depending on the nature of their use)

What does arc fault mean?

An arc fault can be compared to a small lightning strike, which can last for days, usually inside a junction box, inside a cable (e.g. a damaged cable) or inside a terminal (connection plugs), usually resulting in a fire.

Arc faults can occur for a variety of reasons, from simple mishandling of live cables to manufacturing defects that manifest themselves over time, and the only viable solution to prevent them is to install protective devices. These detect the high-frequency arc signal and shut down the circuit to minimise potential damage.

Fires, a major problem in Romania

Fires are a major problem in Romania, causing considerable damage and loss of life. According to the latest analysis by the Department for Emergency Situations, during 2022 there were more than 43 thousand fires in Romania, 22% of which affected houses and outbuildings. On average, 19 households were affected by fires every day last year.

Of the total of these fires, 23% are caused by the operation of damaged or improvised electrical equipment, with arc faults accounting for a significant proportion. Highly important public institutions such as hospitals have also been affected by fires with devastating consequences over the years, highlighting the need for arc fault protection.

“Arc faults are considered silent killers because they happen without any warning and have devastating consequences. It’s one of the reasons Eaton has focused on providing solutions that minimize the possibility of these arc faults manifesting and developing. We welcome the decision of the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration to legislate this segment and are confident that the positive effects of including arc fault detection devices in the electrical installations of newly constructed buildings will be quickly visible. Eaton proposes the solution we have called AFDD+ which comes with an increased level of protection for the electrical installation. I would like to emphasize once again the importance of this protection equipment, especially in a country like Romania, which faces many devastating fires that can be avoided by simply using AFDDs”, said Gabriel Tache, General Manager Eaton Romania.

AFDD+, a complete arc fault protection solution

Eaton’s arc fault solution combines three important functionalities – those of an MCB, an RCD and an AFDD – in one device. As a result, there are no compatibility issues and minimal installation requirements, which saves a lot of time and is also the most convenient solution for the end user.

AFDD+ can be used for electrical installations of new buildings, but is easily adaptable for electrical installations of old buildings that do not have such protection systems.

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