Pool equipment disconnect

[Jraef]

It’s one of those things that becomes the subject of AHJ interpretation;

(A) Working Space
Working space for equipment operating at 1000 volts, nominal, or less to ground and likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized shall comply with the dimensions of 110.26(A)(1), (A)(2), (A)(3), and (A)(4) or as required or permitted elsewhere in this Code.

A lot of AHJs I have encountered over the years do not consider non-fused disconnects as being in the category of the highlighted section (ignore the blue, couldn’t get rid of it…).

Fused, yes, because you may need to test for a blown fuse, and/or replace it. Circuit breakers too, because you may need to open the door to test and/or reset.

Best is to ask your local AHJ for their opinion before proceeding, you don’t want a surprise.

 

[wwhitney]

(ignore the blue, couldn’t get rid of it…).

Use "paste as plaint text" Ctrl-Shift-V.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Strathead]

There is no area to relocate the panel, that was our first choice. Thinking we need to ask the building inspector for a varianc.

Looking at that picture and that location, I wouldn't embarrass myself by asking for a variance. I would be more likely to ask the owner if there liability insurance was up to date before I tried to reset a breaker. That code my hinder us sometimes, but it is there for our protection not anything else. That location is just not even marginally acceptable. Might as well mount it over a sink. I promise you most of the posters here could find a way to put a junction box there and mount the panel legally. Whether it is finding wall space or building a rack of unistrut or concrete or wooden posts in front of everything. Check one more code before doing that though. Distance required locally between the gas regulator and the electrical panel.

(There is no intention of this post being mean or critical of you. Just honest about the situation you are in.)

 

[Jpflex]

It’s one of those things that becomes the subject of AHJ interpretation;


A lot of AHJs I have encountered over the years do not consider non-fused disconnects as being in the category of the highlighted section (ignore the blue, couldn’t get rid of it…).

Fused, yes, because you may need to test for a blown fuse, and/or replace it. Circuit breakers too, because you may need to open the door to test and/or reset.

Best is to ask your local AHJ for their opinion before proceeding, you don’t want a surprise.

But with the NEC definition even a light switch may have to be opened up and examined and for that reason would need working space?

 

[Jraef]

But with the NEC definition even a light switch may have to be opened up and examined and for that reason would need working space?

So sayeth the AHJs who would object. Like I said, it can go both ways.

 

[Frank D]

Looking at that picture and that location, I wouldn't embarrass myself by asking for a variance. I would be more likely to ask the owner if there liability insurance was up to date before I tried to reset a breaker. That code my hinder us sometimes, but it is there for our protection not anything else. That location is just not even marginally acceptable. Might as well mount it over a sink. I promise you most of the posters here could find a way to put a junction box there and mount the panel legally. Whether it is finding wall space or building a rack of unistrut or concrete or wooden posts in front of everything. Check one more code before doing that though. Distance required locally between the gas regulator and the electrical panel.

(There is no intention of this post being mean or critical of you. Just honest about the situation you are in.)

Copy. Appreciate the feedback. There are literally no locations available to remote this panel, that is why I was proposing converting to safety switches since there would be less activity like adding circuits and such. I agree that code section applies to fused and not (arguably) to non fused disconnect. It would take far too many pictures to make the point of no alternative location, trust me though, after 42 years in the field , and lord knows how many thousands of panels I placed, we need an alternate plan. The feeder conduit is not large enough to pull all the circuits back to the distribution panel. In a perfect world every installation would meet 100% code 100% of the time, that is not always the case though.

 

[Frank D]

But with the NEC definition even a light switch may have to be opened up and examined and for that reason would need working space?

It even says “fittings“ without definition

 

[kwired]

But with the NEC definition even a light switch may have to be opened up and examined and for that reason would need working space?

The NEC definition is vague enough it can be interpreted to mean anything that contains live components whether exposed, insulated or covered that has access to said components requires 110.26 working space. Which kind of only eliminates raceways and cables from the requirement as long as they contain only unbroken conductors within.