Fan coil unit disconnect

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rlundsrud

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chicago, il, USA
I have a school where we're doing the controls for a bunch of fan coil units. The fan coil units came with a disconnect but it's inside a screw down side cover. The electrician's never installed an external disconnect switch for the unit. Does this satisfy code having the internal disconnect or is an external disconnect required? There's nothing written on the cover that states that the disconnect is located inside of it.
 
Is it "within sight"? Sounds like that is not the case. 110.58.

But is this part of a "packaged" AC system? If so, maybe 440.14 applies, which has a couple of exceptions that may or may not apply.
 
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Jraef said:
Is it "within sight"? Sounds like that is not the case. 110.58.

But is this part of a "packaged" AC system? If so, maybe 440.14 applies, which has a couple of exceptions that may or may not apply.
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You must be tired...110.58 is for tunnels over 1000 volts. The OP seems to indicate that this is not hermetic equipment so 422 and or 424 probably applies here.
 
texie said:
You must be tired...110.58 is for tunnels over 1000 volts. The OP seems to indicate that this is not hermetic equipment so 422 and or 424 probably applies here.
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Agree, fan coil - not normal to have a compressor on it, Art 422 is what normally should apply.
 
These are ceiling mounted fan coils that are hard wired not cord connected. They have cooling coils fed by a chiller, no compressors. Yes the disconnect is part of the unit but is under a screwed down side cover with no means of identifying its location. If someone was to attempt to service it, they would have to remove the covers before they could turn off the disconnect. It seems to me that you should be able to kill the power locally without having to remove the covers.
 
rlundsrud said:
These are ceiling mounted fan coils that are hard wired not cord connected. They have cooling coils fed by a chiller, no compressors. Yes the disconnect is part of the unit but is under a screwed down side cover with no means of identifying its location. If someone was to attempt to service it, they would have to remove the covers before they could turn off the disconnect. It seems to me that you should be able to kill the power locally without having to remove the covers.
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Is there any electrical or moving parts accessible to service with the cover on?

422.31(A) doesn't even require a disconnect within sight if it is 300VA or 1/8 HP or less.
 
The fan is enclosed in the unit itself, covers would need to be removed before accessing them. I don't know how large the motor is. I am certain it is fractional HP, just not how small.
 
I take it your talking about a mini-split system?
The indoor unit? That is part of a complete system along with the outdoor unit which probably already has a disconnect? Which if there would be any servicing of the inside unit the outdoor unit is what supplies power to the inside unit and by turning off the disconnect outside kills power to inside unit. I don’t think there is much servicing the inside unit. Outside portion of unit (yes) which is probably where checking and filling coolant and replacing motors is done in which case it’s nice to have control of power.
 
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