6 throw rule with 9 breakers?

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Stevenfyeager

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United States, Indiana
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electrical contractor
The realtor told me for (this house he is selling ) that tge H.I. Told him this panel passes the 6 throw rule. Panel is full with 6 single poles on the left side and 3 doubles on the right. 9 breakers. Realtor says the HI can turn off two singles at a time with his fingers and the doubles individually. “That’s 6 movements or 6 throws”. Have you ever heard of this ?
 
unless someone has had better experience with it... I would say good luck getting an electrical inspector to agree with that.
 
Stevenfyeager said:
The realtor told me for (this house he is selling ) that tge H.I. Told him this panel passes the 6 throw rule. Panel is full with 6 single poles on the left side and 3 doubles on the right. 9 breakers. Realtor says the HI can turn off two singles at a time with his fingers and the doubles individually. “That’s 6 movements or 6 throws”. Have you ever heard of this ?
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Hands big enough, you could turn all off with two swipes.

Both realtor and HI are suffering from HUA syndrome.
 
Most, All they care about is there commission. Worst than a car lot.
Ask then to personally guarantee that issue and see how quick the change there mind.
I would say it is a violation of the rule. Six handles of throw.
 
There is no such thing as a six throw rule or a six motions of the hand rule. These are just slang that continues to foster bad habits and misinformation.
The NEC requirement is for not more than six switches or six sets of circuit breakers (i.e. breakers handle tied together).
 
I've worked some very old panels that were subdivided. The top half of the panel had, for example, (5) 2 pole breakers. 1 of those 2 pole breakers disconnected the lower half of the panel where all of the single pole breakers were located. If this is the case, then (5) switches disconnect all the power to the building and meet the NEC requirement. Don't always count the number of circuit breakers. Make sure and look at how your panel is configured.
 
Like this one in another thread...you need to flip all 4 of the double pole breakers to shut it all off.

house panel has no main breaker

Yes. They made "split bus" panels that had 12 slots for double pole breakers (usually the top as slots) and those 6 breakers were your service disconnect. One of these would feed the lower section of the bus and was typically a 50A or 60A breaker. Both houses I had with panels like that labeled...
forums.mikeholt.com
 
Rick 0920 said:
I've worked some very old panels that were subdivided. The top half of the panel had, for example, (5) 2 pole breakers. 1 of those 2 pole breakers disconnected the lower half of the panel where all of the single pole breakers were located. If this is the case, then (5) switches disconnect all the power to the building and meet the NEC requirement. Don't always count the number of circuit breakers. Make sure and look at how your panel is configured.
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These were called 'split buss'. I installed quite a few of these in the early 70's.
 
norcal said:
Most home "inspectors" are idiots at best, & have no power to enforce their whims.
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They do not have any enforceable authority. They don't even come back after you complete any of their "recommendations". Some smaller cities actually use code enforcement officers to do the home inspections. They will return and make sure the corrections are made. I used to have to correct them often when a main breaker is installed in the panel and the H.I. says that grounds and neutrals need to be on separate bars. They cite people that are selling pre-1975 homes and say GFCI's need to be located everywhere. I usually sell the GFCI's to the seller by saying it's a measure of "good faith" to the new homeowner that you are willing to make a safety upgrade. But it's not a requirement.
 
Never listen to a home inspector.
Generally considered want to be’s but aren’t capable…
Had one argue with me about a splice in the GEC.
It was a nicopress sleeve. Couldn’t get the DA to understand he couldn’t find the rule that says you can’t in the book because it wasn’t in there
 
jim dungar said:
There is no such thing as a six throw rule or a six motions of the hand rule. These are just slang that continues to foster bad habits and misinformation.
The NEC requirement is for not more than six switches or six sets of circuit breakers (i.e. breakers handle tied together).
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230.71(B) uses the term "with no more than six operations of the hand".
230.71(B) Single-Pole Units. Two or three single-pole switches or breakers, capable of individual operation, shall be permitted on multiwire circuits, one pole for each ungrounded conductor, as one multipole disconnect, provided they are equipped with identified handle ties or a master handle to disconnect all conductors of the service with no more than six operations of the hand.
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jim dungar said:
Yes it does, under the subsection (B) for Single-Pole Units. This phrase is not in the General section (A).
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Correct, (B) does apply directly to the OP's question regarding the single pole CB's and the concept of six operations of the hand.
 
infinity said:
Correct, (B) does apply directly to the OP's question regarding the single pole CB's and the concept of six operations of the hand.
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Yes, but the use of slang terms does lead to misunderstanding.
Stating the rule as 'disconnects' clearly shows the 9 breakers, in the OP, to not be acceptable using any interpretation.
 
Stevenfyeager said:
The realtor told me for (this house he is selling ) that tge H.I. Told him this panel passes the 6 throw rule. Panel is full with 6 single poles on the left side and 3 doubles on the right. 9 breakers. Realtor says the HI can turn off two singles at a time with his fingers and the doubles individually. “That’s 6 movements or 6 throws”. Have you ever heard of this ?
Click to expand...
This doesn't even sound like a split buss panel. Could it be a sub fed main lug panel?
And if it is a split buss just move the single pole breakers (at least 3 of them) down under the main lighting breaker if there is room.
Or change the panel. 😏
 
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