Exterior Emergency Disconnect They do NOT like it!

[brother]

Has anyone seen home owners or tenants complain about the new code requirement for the emergency disconnects on the outside of the buildings? Some have complained about kids or jokers playing with them and shutting off their secuirty and other systems. Some areas dont like the installer putting a lock on them but this seems the only way to fight the 'temptation of the kids or jokers' shutting them off! Fire fighters and police have bolt cutters so if they need to remove the lock to shut down power.

Whats your opinion of the new code that requires exteirior e - disconnects?

 

[zbang]

Regardless of code, anyone running a security system or other important system without battery backup is, ahem, an idiot. Put a lock on it, there are even padlocks that are per-notched for cutting .

(noting that this doesn't actually answer the final question- I don't have a strong opinion about that.)

 

[gadfly56]

I hate the concept, for all the reasons you name. Did we get a sudden upsurge of fire fighter or first responder deaths and injuries that galvanized this action? Or is it just the apparent innate urge for folks who have the clout to enshrine their vision of what has to be done "for our own good"? Guess where my opinion falls on this.

 

[dwils1980]

I don't have a problem with an emergency disconnect, being that the majority of new single family dwellings will almost always have a meter main combo as the service gear and a lot of utility companies have an amendment requiring some form of exterior disconnect. I have to say though that i have never been a fan of using said meter main combo as the main electrical panel putting all the branch circuit breakers outside.

 

[infinity]

I don't have a problem with an emergency disconnect, being that the majority of new single family dwellings will almost always have a meter main combo as the service gear and a lot of utility companies have an amendment requiring some form of exterior disconnect. I have to say though that i have never been a fan of using said meter main combo as the main electrical panel putting all the branch circuit breakers outside.

Almost no one around here uses a meter main for a single family dwelling so this will have a big impact on how things are done. I'm willing to bet that the State deletes this requirement.

 

[LarryFine]

Seems to me the POCO could cut the meter tag and pull the meter in an emergency.

 

[Greentagger]

So can first responders, but that is the purpose of the exterior disconnect; to provide first responders a way to safely cut power to house without trying to pull the meter base and possibly doing so while it is under load.

Seems to me the POCO could cut the meter tag and pull the meter in an emergency.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Seems to me the POCO could cut the meter tag and pull the meter in an emergency.

The response time for that in our area, even with a call from the fire department is 30 minutes to an hour or more. Not very helpful.

One of the major utilities in Illinois, will offer to remotely open the contactor in the smart meter when they get a call from the fire department for an emergency. That at least isolates everything inside, the same as the code required emergency disconnect does. The utility will still send a service truck to the scene, and depending on what the damage is, the meter will be pulled and capped, or the service drop will be opened at the pole.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

So can first responders, but that is the purpose of the exterior disconnect; to provide first responders a way to safely cut power to house without trying to pull the meter base and possibly doing so while it is under load.

I would much rather cut the ungrounded conductors of the service drop at the pole than pull a meter. Some rural fire departments carry hot stick cutters for that purpose. Of course that doesn't help where the service is underground

 

[Hv&Lv]

Seems to me the POCO could cut the meter tag and pull the meter in an emergency.

POCO is always last one there. Also pulling some meters under load is dangerous

 

[Hv&Lv]

I don’t see where it’s a big deal.
Around my area disconnects are outside on many places anyway. Almost all commercial have outside disconnects here. 35 years I have only had one call where brats did this at a strip mall
All mobile homes here have them already

 

[gadfly56]

I don’t see where it’s a big deal.
Around my area disconnects are outside on many places anyway. Almost all commercial have outside disconnects here. 35 years I have only had one call where brats did this at a strip mall
All mobile homes here have them already

The problem, at least here in NJ where there is a very high population density, the more common they become, the more likely bored teens are to become a nuisance. Or more than a nuisance. Imagine some wit decides to cycle the disconnect 4 or 5 times in rapid succession. That wouldn't be good for any motor loads, or anything else for that matter. And I repeat, what it the huge safety issue here? The next time I hear about a fire fighter getting injured by a live service while on a call will be the first time.

 

[winnie]

I have an external disconnect for my gas service and water service.

I would like to have similar for my electric, behind a frangible lock for protection against nuisance kids.

Jon

 

[kwired]

I hate the concept, for all the reasons you name. Did we get a sudden upsurge of fire fighter or first responder deaths and injuries that galvanized this action? Or is it just the apparent innate urge for folks who have the clout to enshrine their vision of what has to be done "for our own good"? Guess where my opinion falls on this.

You realize those that make majority of this kind of equipment are also same ones that make a majority of the AFCI's and GFCI's that have been added in recent code cycles? Bet they had little to say about adopting this rule

 

[kwired]

I don't have a problem with an emergency disconnect, being that the majority of new single family dwellings will almost always have a meter main combo as the service gear and a lot of utility companies have an amendment requiring some form of exterior disconnect. I have to say though that i have never been a fan of using said meter main combo as the main electrical panel putting all the branch circuit breakers outside.

Having a "meter-main" seems to be somewhat a trend in certain areas and almost non existent in others.

Around here kind of a mixed bag, but probably more with main inside than outside as a general rule. New construction for past 30-40 years has mostly been inside. Occasionally there are circumstances that just make sense to do something different though.

From reading on this site, seems a lot of California is common to have meter/mains with integral loadcenter on the exterior.

Places with basements being common the main and/or loadcenter is almost always in the basement. Garage is also a majorly common location for a loadcenter whether there is a basement or not.

 

[kwired]

The problem, at least here in NJ where there is a very high population density, the more common they become, the more likely bored teens are to become a nuisance. Or more than a nuisance. Imagine some wit decides to cycle the disconnect 4 or 5 times in rapid succession. That wouldn't be good for any motor loads, or anything else for that matter. And I repeat, what it the huge safety issue here? The next time I hear about a fire fighter getting injured by a live service while on a call will be the first time.

Live out in the country where it is more common to have power interrupted by cycling reclosers (just doing their job during a fault condition) and you kind of get the same thing.