What type of protective device is widely used to control arcing faults?

The correct choice for controlling arcing faults is overcurrent protective devices. These devices are designed to prevent overcurrent conditions, which can lead to dangerous situations such as overheating and arcing. Arcing faults often result from damaged insulation or poor connections, causing currents to exceed the rated levels. Overcurrent protective devices, such as circuit breakers and fuses, act quickly to interrupt the circuit when they detect these unsafe conditions, thereby protecting equipment and reducing the risk of fire.

While residual current devices (RCDs) are important for detecting ground faults and providing protection against electric shock, they are not specifically designed to control arcing faults. Surge protectors are intended to protect electrical equipment from voltage spikes, and voltage regulators maintain a consistent voltage level but do not protect against arcing issues.