Drain line below disconnect switch

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j2020

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Would this be a code violation with the drain line running below the disconnect switch serving an AHU? Would NEC article 110.26 working space requirements apply in this case?
 

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It doesn't look like the pipe protrudes past the front of the switch, so then it's not in the working space.

The dedicated space requirements in 110.26(E) don't apply to a single disconnect like this.
 
jaggedben said:
It doesn't look like the pipe protrudes past the front of the switch, so then it's not in the working space.

The dedicated space requirements in 110.26(E) don't apply to a single disconnect like this.
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I agree but it's hard to tell if it is past the face of the switch. I don't see why this would be a problem for anyone working on the switch.
 
jaggedben said:
What difference should fused or non fused make? Is there something in 240?
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Some AHJs do not apply the 110.26(A) rules to non-fused disconnects because they say no one will examine or service them while energized.
That is not a fact, and because of that view by some AHJs, the 2023 code added the following to 440.14.
440.14 ... Disconnecting means shall meet the working space requirements of 110.26(A). ...
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j2020 said:
Would this be a code violation with the drain line running below the disconnect switch serving an AHU? Would NEC article 110.26 working space requirements apply in this case?
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j2020 said:
Would this be a code violation with the drain line running below the disconnect switch serving an AHU? Would NEC article 110.26 working space requirements apply in this case?
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At the large hospital that I retired from they had at least halve a dozen normal & emergency power electrical rooms on each of the 11 floors.. Hospital is over 50 years old and they often had to install additional 100 to 600 amp panels where there was a 4 to 6" soil pipe maybe 8' off the floor. They had a three sided stainless steel through made at least a few inches longer then the width of panels and on a slight down hill angle. They installed a 3/4 or 1" diameter copper drain down to right above floor to drain a leak and prevent water from leaking into tops of panels. Did the same set up above several ATS's. Hopefully in new work they should never have such a pipe under a safety switch but older buildings space is always at a premium. This hospital had some normal power electrical rooms measuring 10 by 10' foot where every wall had panels & starters on and had to make unistrut wall in center of room to install additional panels. This occurred while 42 circuits were the largest panels that you could use. Hopefully every AHJ would allow such an installation even if was a visible safety switch. We Pm'd every drive & motor from 1 to 4 times a year. Even the safety switches without fuses had to be opened up to perform voltage drop measurements and look with a FLIR csmera.
 
jaggedben said:
It doesn't look like the pipe protrudes past the front of the switch, so then it's not in the working space.

The dedicated space requirements in 110.26(E) don't apply to a single disconnect like this.
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I don't know how you came up with this because 110.26(E) is just talking about Dedicated Equipment Space and protected from damage. Dedicated electrical Space is different and is required for all electrical equipment including disconnects.
 
Knightryder12 said:
I don't know how you came up with this because 110.26(E) is just talking about Dedicated Equipment Space and protected from damage. Dedicated electrical Space is different and is required for all electrical equipment including disconnects.
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Dedicated space is not required for all electrical equipment. It is only required for the equipment specified in 110.26(E)/
110.26 (E) Dedicated Equipment Space.
All switchboards, switchgear, panelboards, and motor control centers shall be located in dedicated spaces and protected from damage. ...
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Disconnects are not in that list. The purpose of 110.26(E) is to provide space to add additional conduits and cables at the specified equipment after the original installation has been completed.
Adding additional conduits or cables to a disconnect after the original installation is not as common and the Code Making Panel chose not to include disconnect in the list of equipment that requires dedicated equipment space.

Dedicated space is only required by 110.16(E). Workspace is required by 110.26(A) and that applies to all electrical equipment. The workspace is measured from the face of the equipment and does not include the space under the equipment that is between the wall and the face of the equipment. Assuming that the drain pipe is not extending past the face of the disconnect, there is no code violation.
 
Yeah, 110.26(E) doesn't apply in this case, which is exactly what I said to begin with.

I only mentioned it because maybe some people who have heard of the requirements in that section might think it prohibits the installation in the OP. But it doesn't.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
Dedicated space is not required for all electrical equipment. It is only required for the equipment specified in 110.26(E)/

Disconnects are not in that list. The purpose of 110.26(E) is to provide space to add additional conduits and cables at the specified equipment after the original installation has been completed.
Adding additional conduits or cables to a disconnect after the original installation is not as common and the Code Making Panel chose not to include disconnect in the list of equipment that requires dedicated equipment space.

Dedicated space is only required by 110.16(E). Workspace is required by 110.26(A) and that applies to all electrical equipment. The workspace is measured from the face of the equipment and does not include the space under the equipment that is between the wall and the face of the equipment. Assuming that the drain pipe is not extending past the face of the disconnect, there is no code violation.
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Correct,, a disconnect does not require a dedicated space. Dedicated space is not the same as the working space (110.26(A)(3) that OP is asking about. Which in the 2017 NEC clearly states that the height of the "work space shall be clear and extend from grade, floor or platform to a height of 6.5' or the height of the equipment.
 
Knightryder12 said:
Correct,, a disconnect does not require a dedicated space. Dedicated space is not the same as the working space (110.26(A)(3) that OP is asking about. Which in the 2017 NEC clearly states that the height of the "work space shall be clear and extend from grade, floor or platform to a height of 6.5' or the height of the equipment.
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Yes, but the work space starts at the face of the equipment and does not extend behind the face to the wall, so the drain line is not in the work space.
110.26(A)(1) ... Distances shall be measured from the exposed live parts or from the enclosure or opening if the live parts are enclosed.
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Knightryder12 said:
Again, that is depth, but the OP is asking about height 110.26(A)(3). Its not a legal install the way it sits.
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The installation complies as installed, assuming the drain pipe does not extend beyond the face of the equipment.

We are not going to agree here...the required work space never extends behind the face of the equipment. Both (1) and (2) define the workspace as starting at the face of the equipment and I see nothing in (3) that modifies that.

The only code required space that extends behind the face of the equipment is the dedicated equipment space.
 
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