ESS disconnect within sight - 2023 NEC

[jaggedben]

I had sort of missed this until now but it seems that the 2023 NEC(unlike the 2020) no longer necessarily requires an ESS disconnect within sight of the ESS. See quotes below, emphasis added.

I'm curious if anyone in California has tested this with AHJs and how it's gone for you. I've been putting disconnects within sight (or within 5ft, under 2017) for years now, it kinda feels wrong to stop. But I'm happy to save the money.

2023 NEC:

Location and Control. The disconnecting means shall be readily accessible and shall comply with one or more of the following:

1. Located within the ESS
2. Located within sight and within 3 m (10 ft) from the ESS
3. Where not located within sight of the ESS, the disconnecting means, or the enclosure providing access to the disconnecting means, shall be capable of being lockeable in accordance with 110.25

Where controls to activate the disconnecting means of an ESS are used and are not located within sight of the ESS, the disconnecting means shall be lockable in accordance with 110.25, and the location of the controls shall be marked on the disconnecting means.

For one- and two-family dwellings, an ESS shall include an emergency shutdown function to cease the export of power from the ESS to premises wiring of other systems. An initiation device(s) shall be located at a readily accessible location outside the building and shall plainly indicate whether in the "off" or "on" position. The "off" position of the device(s) shall perform the ESS emergency shutdown function.

2020 NEC

706.15 Disconnecting Means.

(A) ESS Disconnecting Means. A disconnecting means shall be provided for all ungrounded conductors derived from an ESS and shall be permitted to be integral to listed ESS equipment.

The disconnecting means shall comply with all of the following:

(1) The disconnecting means shall be readily accessible.
(2)The disconnecting means shall be located within sight of the ESS. Where it is impractical to install the disconnecting means within sight of the ESS, the disconnect shall be installed as close as practicable, and the location of the disconnecting means shall be field marked on or immediately adjacent to the ESS. The marking shall be of sufficient durability to withstand the environment involved and shall not be handwritten.
(3) The disconnecting means shall be lockable open in accordance with 110.25.


For one-family and two-family dwellings, a disconnecting means or its remote control shall be located at a readily accessible location outside the building.