For example, light switches.
For me, holding a switch too long (you hear it arcing ) has tripped the ACFI. This happens more when there is a reactive load like a motor or LED or fluorescent light. The speed control on the ceiling fan (when you slide the slider real real slow to make it arc) can also do it. Treadmills are another culprit.
Longshot: Is condensatiin a possibility? If it’s happening as the air gets colder, could water i trusion be tripping the breaker?
The other thought is automatic lighting that might be trying to go on at that time, like outdoor patio or house lights on a photocell.
Post given the Makes Sense award.
Appliances with a hefty motor (like refrigerators & freezers) often trip GFCI/AFCI’s when they start. So they should NOT be put on such a breaker, just a regular breaker (and should be on a separate, dedicated circuit). But young, inexperienced electricians (or architects lacking knowledge) often put GFCI or AFCI breakers for every circuit – they think they’re “being safer”.
But they aren’t, because the frequent nuisance trips lead to the homeowner eventually replacing the breaker. (like Crafter_man mentioned). that’s fine on a dedicated refrigerator circuit. But then the homeowner decides that’s the proper fix for other circuits, which DO need the GFCI/AFCI protection.
Well, I figure I owe y’all an update. After coming here and bothering you with my tale of mystery, no further issues. In looking at the devices plugged into the circuit I did unplug a couple and plug them back in, but otherwise changed nothing.
That said, I had not realized that AFIs were so finicky, so I did learn something.
Someday I’ll tell you the story of the time I was replacing a light fixture and I tripped the GFI outlet that was in-line with it, except I didn’t even know it was there. That had me baffled for a while…
I thought Square-D was very, very good.
Square D has a home/DIY grade of products (“HomeLine”) and higher quality, commercial/industrial grade. But AFAIK both grades are considered pretty good products.
For the OP - are the breakers AFCI or CAFCI? (Combination arc-fault and ground-fault) and what brand? Someone mentioned Square D - their AFCI breakers usually have a blue test button, and their CAFCI breakers have white test buttons.
Square D makes good stuff. Good enough that other folks will try to make counterfeit copies. There have also been recalls here and there. Think the most recent for their AFCI breakers was over ten years ago.
AFCI breakers are notorious for nuisance trips, but as @Crafter_Man noted, there may be a real reason. Nicked wire insulation is definitely one of the top causes, so an apartment where there were nails and screws in the conduits along with the wires, I would expect plenty of trips.
GFCIs don’t like having other GFCIs downstream, so that might be a possibility. Testing this would involve disconnecting the wires going to the outside outlet.
I really believe you need to get a professional out there. If you fo have a wiring, you don’t want to find out the hard way.