Arc fault breaker kept tripping - found a nail through the wire in my basement

Built a new basement workshop back in March. For two weeks I couldn't run the table saw and a vacuum at the same time without that Eaton breaker tripping. Checked every junction box, swapped the breaker twice. Finally got mad and opened up the drywall on a hunch. Found a drywall screw driven clean through a 12/2 Romex in the wall cavity. Whoever did the drywall must have hit it and just kept going. Took me 4 hours to patch and rerun that circuit. Anyone else ever find dumb stuff like this after a renovation?

2 comments

2 Comments

emery_craig1mo ago

Man, did you check the rest of the walls before patching?

umak891mo agoMost Upvoted

My buddy tried that once in his old apartment. Spent an hour patching a hole only to find the whole wall was basically drywall dust holding hands.