Eaton Air Conditioner Disconnects

[tthuss]

The State of TN has sent out a notice to inspectors alerting them that the Eaton ACD are not to be used for EV, PV or RESISTIVE HEATING loads per manufacturer instructions (attached)
Allegedly, there have been fires involving these pullout units on resistive heating loads.
Has anyone experienced this ??

(Expanded from Eaton Publication IL007001EN )

This ACD is not intended for uses on electric vehicle (EV) charging, photovoltaic, and resistive heating applications. Eaton’s recommended disconnect switch for these applications is DPB222R.

Here's the story behind the issue.

youtube.com/watch?si=L0AdnG5eiMfmMMZX&v=WiqAO7HptYw&feature=youtu.be

As a home inspector, I sometimes find these pullout-style disconnects not fully seated. That'll overheat one in a hurry, particularly under a constant, heavy load.
I don't commonly encounter a pullout-style ACD in an attic, but the homebuilder Meritage uses them. In most homes there is no 220V disconnect in the attic, it's just a 120V switch for the low-current stuff in the air hander.

 

[Eddie702]

Maybe the pull out style should be pulled off the market in favor of something with a positive ON-Off. Inserting it half way and the ability to do so is not good IMHO regardless of the load.

Just because its intent (and marketing) is based on the intended use as an AC disconnect it can be used for any 240 volt load. And they are used that way because they are inexpensive.

The "circuit breaker" style that Sq D makes it what I usually use with its molded case switch is positive on-off as are most disconnects that are like a spring loaded knife switch.