Factory KO's in Disconnects

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jckenner

Member
Just curious -- Am I the only one who thinks it is ridiculous that safety switches come with factory KO's in them? I find it especially bizarre with 600 volt enclosures, what with potential bonding issues. I spend way more time and energy trying to get conduit to cleanly enter enclosures using or avoiding the factory KO's (and trying to minimize RE washers) than I would ever spend on punching my own holes. Did this become the industry standard in an age before it was easy to drill and punch our own holes? Twenty years ago, it seemed that most panelboards came standard with factory KO's but now (at least around here) it's standard to get them without KO's (at least at one end).
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
One problem is that those factory KO's do not come out easily. If they did this thread wouldn't be necessary. :grin:

The other probelm is many of them have KO's that do not line up when using conduit mounted on strut and entering a switch, pull box, panel, etc. We always order PB's, and panels without KO's. For switches you kind of stuck with what you get.
 

masterinbama

Senior Member
One problem is that those factory KO's do not come out easily. If they did this thread wouldn't be necessary. :grin:

The other probelm is many of them have KO's that do not line up when using conduit mounted on strut and entering a switch, pull box, panel, etc. We always order PB's, and panels without KO's. For switches you kind of stuck with what you get.

Unless you buy NEMA 12
 

Rockyd

Senior Member
Location
Nevada
Occupation
Retired after 40 years as an electrician.
It's official then - manufacturer's of disconnects absolutely hate electrician's! Some of the stupidest patterns come out on top of equipment.

Why, oh why, is it so hard for a manufacturer to design a box with knock-outs that would line up at 7/8" or an 1-5/8"from the surface the box was designed to be mounted on?

Is there a manufacturer's representitive in the forum that can explain it to me?

Contractors around America would beat a trail to a manufacturer's doorstep if we could have intelligent design! Time recovered alone would cut the cut half the national deficit!

Contractors, elelctricians, estimators, designers, project managers unite! What manufacturer is going to meet our calling?

/rant off>
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Just give me a stocked NEMA1 disconnect with no KOs and I would always ask for them. :)

Like Rob I always ask for pull boxes, tubs and wireways with no KOs.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
It's official then - manufacturer's of disconnects absolutely hate electrician's! Some of the stupidest patterns come out on top of equipment.

Why, oh why, is it so hard for a manufacturer to design a box with knock-outs that would line up at 7/8" or an 1-5/8"from the surface the box was designed to be mounted on?

Is there a manufacturer's representitive in the forum that can explain it to me?

And the same can be said for the mounting holes in the back. The other day I was installing a 100 amp disconnect switch and the mounting hole were like 9 13/16" apart. Can we just make them 10" apart and call it a day? :roll:
 

Power Tech

Senior Member
I use RE washers with the concentricts.

And yes I wish there were no KO's.

Good thein the manufacturers listen to us. Like Philips 6/32 kits.:roll:

As I have herd and said they should have to install this stuff.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Why, oh why, is it so hard for a manufacturer to design a box with knock-outs that would line up at 7/8" or an 1-5/8"from the surface the box was designed to be mounted on?

Is there a manufacturer's representitive in the forum that can explain it to me?
And while they are explaining that, maybe they could also tell us why the mounting tabs on NEMA 4 and 12 j-boxs are not big enough to fit on strut. The tabs need to be longer so they completely span the width of the strut.
 

flashlight

Senior Member
Location
NY, NY
Occupation
Electrician, semi-retired
And don't even start on the positioning of components within
the box-- discos that you can hardly get the conductors to clear
the sharp part of the trip lever, neutral or ground busses or terminals
unnecessarily close to hot components...
 
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