Eaton Air Conditioner Disconnects

augie47 said:
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.
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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.
 
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.
 
If the manufacturer states it not for those uses is it really an issue? I mean I never looked at the manual so I guess it’s my fault.
It’s shifty and supply houses need to know what there selling but it’s are fault also for just assuming. Plus Eaton sucks last 10 years they gone down hill—- and like one member said all electric products quality is coming down to compete with cheap price point— they need to stop selling to general product and gatekeep if they want quality products ,consumer want dollar general items
 
AC\DC said:
If the manufacturer states it not for those uses is it really an issue? ...
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It's absolutely an issue if a manufacturer puts out a product that claims to have a certain ampere rating on the label and then they have to put out a bulletin or update the label to essentially say it does have that rating. It speaks to a failure of the product standard and or testing process for the listing. As a PV and ESS installer I rely on equipment labeling to determine if products are suitable for use in my installations. If the amp rating meets code requirements, I shouldn't have to guess if it's suitable or have to know to look up a bulletin on the manufacturer's wesbite. It's baffling to me if a disconnect labeled 30A hasn't been tested at 24A continuous at high temp in order to be listed.

Mind you I don't think highly of pullout disconnects. Maybe the lesson here is just that they should be banned. But the larger worry for me is trusting the labels on equipment.
 
jaggedben said:
It's absolutely an issue if a manufacturer puts out a product that claims to have a certain ampere rating on the label and then they have to put out a bulletin or update the label to essentially say it does have that rating.
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Actually this more likely speaks to the misuse of the product by the installer.
A XXA rated device is not rated for every potential XXA load, if those loads are not part of the Listing standards and included in its instructions.
 
Are those disconnects only rated for 60C terminations? I thought I saw that on one, I doubt 75C vs 60C makes difference but could that be related?
 
jim dungar said:
I wonder if the problem is related more to the Slow Make Slow Break inherent in pullout style disconnects than the continuous rating.
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We still have some existing 100 and 200 amp pull out disconnects (fused and non fused) here and there on the main distribution pole on farm places. Those can be fun to install or pull when under load.
 
pipe_bender said:
Are those disconnects only rated for 60C terminations? I thought I saw that on one, I doubt 75C vs 60C makes difference but could that be related?
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Well they certainly don't have sufficient room for 4 AWG conductors which would be necessary if your minimum ampacity is over 55 amps @ 60C and really are not all that practical to use even with 6 AWG conductors in many cases.
 
At lot of electricians including me don't always read the fine print which half the time is too small to see without a magnifying glass. You getting paid to know the code and get a job done. There are enough things to think about when you're doing a job and you head is spinning around.

IMHO if the MFG markets and sells it as a disconnect it should be able to be used on anything within its rating.

If it is sold as an AC disconnect any normal person could assume that it could be used on a 240volt AHU with electric heat.
 
electrofelon said:
I paid for X amps, thats what i should get.
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Eddie702 said:
IMHO if the MFG markets and sells it as a disconnect it should be able to be used on anything within its rating.
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Makes me more cynical despite my constant internal struggle against it. Also makes me confident in my own horse sense and ignore hand wringers when I piece together some fittings, relays, and switches to make something work.
 
jim dungar said:
Yes, really.
You didnt pay for a quick make/break switch so why would you think the cheapest possible switch would perform like one.
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Because the label said it would? I think that's the discussion here. If the cheapest possible switch does not hold up under the loads that the label says it supports then the label should not say it supports said loads. Eaton can't just throw out a bulletin on the side that says "lmao baited get rekt loser" and blame the installers for using a 30A labelled disconnect for a 24A load thinking it would work.
 
Funny we are having this discussion........ I had an EATON pullout disconnect burn up in the fall of 2024. It was connected to a hardwired EV charger. At that time they didnt have the "NO EVSE" markings on the packaging, or in the catalog. I made a posting here regarding that and if I had to splice the conductors to reach the line side of a new knife switch style disconnect. Now I see I have to tell the HVAC guys that are roughing in electric garage heaters not to use the pullouts for those.

BTW, never seen an OLD Wadsworth 060se burn up. They had copper bussing, and contacts and lasted forever!

Just my 2 cents.... Glad to find something new out!


Howard
 
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