Appliance Disconnects.....Fused or Not?

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LKimmel

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420.30 clearly requires a disconnect for certain appliances. Specifically I am working with 4500W water heaters. I wonder if the disconnecting means is required to be fused. Obviously overcurrent protection is required but would the circuit breaker suffice, even if it is not within view of the appliance? My confusion comes because my NEC 2005 handbook fine print notes seem to point to the disconnecting means being either a fused switch, single circuit breaker, or circuit breaker in a panel. No mention of a non-fused switch.
 
Look at 422.31(B)
This is a nonmotor driven appliance therefore a breaker in the service panel that is capable of being locked in the open position is all that is required.
No disconnect is required either fused or nonfused to be located at the water heater as long as the breaker is capable of being locked off.
 
jwelectric, thanks for the reply. However, I 422.30(B) allows a lockable circuit breaker to serve as the disconnect only if it is in view of the appliance which it is serving. In this case it is not, therefore I DO need a disconnect....fused or non-fused is the question.
 
422.31 Disconnection of Permanently Connected Appliances.
(A) Rated at Not Over 300 Volt-Amperes or Horsepower. For permanently connected appliances rated at not over 300 volt-amperes or hp, the branch-circuit overcurrent device shall be permitted to serve as the disconnecting means.

(B) Appliances Rated Over 300 Volt-Amperes or Horsepower. For permanently connected appliances rated over 300 volt-amperes or hp, the branch-circuit switch or circuit breaker shall be permitted to serve as the disconnecting means where the switch or circuit breaker is within sight from the appliance or is capable of being locked in the open position. The provision for locking or adding a lock to the disconnecting means shall be installed on or at the switch or circuit breaker used as the disconnecting means and shall remain in place with or without the lock installed.

There is a word that I have sized up and made bold with an underline. Could you explain to me what this word means, please?
 
OUCH! But thank you for your "friendly" response, jw. You are correct though. But for fun lets just say I wanted a disconnect.....would it need to be fused?
 
LKimmel said:
420.30 clearly requires a disconnect for certain appliances. Specifically I am working with 4500W water heaters. I wonder if the disconnecting means is required to be fused. Obviously overcurrent protection is required but would the circuit breaker suffice, even if it is not within view of the appliance? My confusion comes because my NEC 2005 handbook fine print notes seem to point to the disconnecting means being either a fused switch, single circuit breaker, or circuit breaker in a panel. No mention of a non-fused switch.
Click to expand...
The only time "fuses" would be required is when the nameplate specifically says "fuse only"
 
LKimmel said:
OUCH! But thank you for your "friendly" response, jw. You are correct though. But for fun lets just say I wanted a disconnect.....would it need to be fused?
Click to expand...

Glad I could help.

That would depend on how much money you have. lol

No it doesn?t need to be fused.
 
As part of the spec we often use a 2 pole 30 amp switch.That way it does not look ugly,mount it high so nobody will think its a light switch.And they do come in white
 
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