3-pole toggle disconnect

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Septic stuff usually has a controller with overcurrent protection in it. I usually hit a disconnect and jump out to the controller. Or is this after the controller but not within sight? Does it need to be within sight if it's a lockable disconnect by the controller?
 
LarryFine said:
Which type of toggle are you looking for?

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Have used both three pole switches on 480 volts but strongly protested using the small McGill ( think they were rated for 20 Amps ) toggle switches. Had them blow up after water entered the bell box. The upper type toggle switch are great. I would never use them for any 480 volt motor above 5 HP. Difficult to get 6 stranded #10 guage wires in the little boxes that come with them. For over 5 HP best practice is to use a much larger enclosure. When I use the toggle type switch I always use screw terminals rather then spade lugs. Use a proper size ring terminal and a lock washers to prevent screws from loosening up then several wraps of made in the USA electrical tape.
 
wwhitney said:
For the sake of discussion, consider the multi-line diagram below of a 3 phase system.

How many circuits is it? I could call it one circuit starting at A, or 3 circuits starting at B, or just look at the red leg 2-wire circuit from A to its load, etc. The above all applies regardless of location of OCPD, circuit is a general term.

How many branch circuits is it? That depends on OCPD location. If A has OCPD, and B is just a junction box, it can be considered 1 multiwire branch circuit. Or it can be considered 3 branch circuits, per the intentional ambiguity the NEC allows.

While if A and B both have OCPD for the circuit(s), then A to B is 1 feeder, and B supplies 3 branch circuits.

Cheers, Wayne

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If A is the branch circuit device (a three pole device) it is one multiwire branch circuit.

At same time if the loads were say some the required branch circuits in 210.11 this could be counted as fulfilling the requirement of three of those circuits.

Example - it could be serving three "small appliance branch circuits" and that would fulfill 210.11(C) (1) requirements even though technically it is one multiwire branch circuit.
 
JoeNorm said:
I am running into a few situations where I need to provide disconnecting means for 3, 120v 20a circuits.

I found a 30a rated 3-pole toggle motor switch(looks like it's small enough to fit in a Bell box) I thought would do the trick. Any problem with this? My main clarification was whether each pole was in fact rated at 30 amp? And yes, I will be pulling a separate neutral for each circuit.

thanks
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I've used them a few times.
Make sure you use a box that gives you plenty of room for your wires
 
letgomywago said:
Septic stuff usually has a controller with overcurrent protection in it. I usually hit a disconnect and jump out to the controller. Or is this after the controller but not within sight? Does it need to be within sight if it's a lockable disconnect by the controller?
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This is before controller and needs to be within sight. Often there are three circuits hence the OP. I cannot count the the controller as a disconnect because there is no dead front so non-technician should not be opening it(says inspector)
 
JoeNorm said:
This is before controller and needs to be within sight. Often there are three circuits hence the OP. I cannot count the the controller as a disconnect because there is no dead front so non-technician should not be opening it(says inspector)
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Do a 3r lockable panel and all is good then you're looking at like 50 bucks for a 6 space
 
letgomywago said:
Do a 3r lockable panel and all is good then you're looking at like 50 bucks for a 6 space
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Locking a cover is not a permitted substitute for locking the device that actually interrupts the flow of power, assuming we are talking about lockout/tagout requirements.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
Locking a cover is not a permitted substitute for locking the device that actually interrupts the flow of power, assuming we are talking about lockout/tagout requirements.
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I admit to not knowing what might be written but at very least disagree with that logic as a general rule. As mentioned:
letgomywago said:
That's what an ac disconnect uses. This is not a 70e situation. Breaker locks in a 3r panel could do this too
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is one place I think locking a cover is or at least should be acceptable, or any other situation where there is only one switch that would be inaccessible after locking the cover.

Locking the cover on a panelboard - I agree shouldn't really be acceptable for locking out one circuit within that panelboard. If the intent is to lock out all the circuits coming from that panel....maybe, IDK, would think it maybe could apply in certain situations like where a major renovation is what is going on, sort of no different than disconnecting and locking out a feeder to do the same project. Now if you are going to be working in that panel then probably should be locking out the feeder.

Many lock attachments that fit individual breakers are a bit of a joke IMO. Smart people will still realize if there is a lock on the breaker then there is likely a good reason though. But many those all you have to do if you really want to turn the breaker on is take the dead front cover off and then you can remove the lock attachment even if there is a lock on it.

We are allowed to put a "cover" on a cord cap, valve, etc. and use a lock to keep that cover on those devices for LOTO reasons.
 
JoeNorm said:
I need to provide disconnecting means for 3, 120v 20a circuits.

I found a 30a rated 3-pole toggle motor switch(looks like it's small enough to fit in a Bell box) I thought would do the trick. Any problem with this?
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Getting back to the OP, since such a motor switch is presumably listed as a manual motor controller, and not under UL 20, is there in fact any issue with this? 408.4(C) refers to "a multipole, general-use snap switch" which arguably such a motor switch is not.

Cheers. Wayne
 
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