Fridge plug accessible?

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sparkyjpb

sparkyjpb

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We did a kitchen remod in the City of Detroit (not known for the easiest going inspectors) and the inspector wants a breaker lock for the fridge because he considers the plug not accessible if the fridge was to be worked on. Now I've been in other municipalities that require a single receptacle for the fridge, so nobody plugs in to it, except for the fridge. Also wants a breaker lock on the 220 range. It's not the cost of the breaker locks, but the need to know.
 
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sparkyjpb said:
We did a kitchen remod in the City of Detroit (not known for the easiest going inspectors) and the inspector wants a breaker lock for the fridge because he considers the plug not accessible if the fridge was to be worked on. Now I've been in other municipalities that require a single receptacle for the fridge, so nobody plugs in to it, except for the fridge. Also wants a breaker lock on the 220 range. It's not the cost of the breaker locks, but the need to know.
Click to expand...

My opinion is that the cord and plug is accessible.

440.13 Cord-Connected Equipment. For cord-connected
equipment such as room air conditioners, household refrigerators
and freezers, drinking water coolers, and beverage
dispensers, a separable connector or an attachment plug and
receptacle shall be permitted to serve as the disconnecting
means.

440.14
Exception No. 2: Where an attachment plug and receptacle
serve as the disconnecting means in accordance with
440.13, their location shall be accessible but shall not be
required to be readily accessible.

Accessible (as applied to equipment). Admitting close
approach; not guarded by locked doors, elevation, or other
effective means.

Range is spelled out.

422.33 Disconnection of Cord-and-Plug-Connected Appliances.
(A) Separable Connector or an Attachment Plug and
Receptacle. For cord-and-plug-connected appliances, an
accessible separable connector or an accessible plug and
receptacle shall be permitted to serve as the disconnecting
means. Where the separable connector or plug and receptacle
are not accessible, cord-and-plug-connected appliances
shall be provided with disconnecting means in accordance
with 422.31.
(B) Connection at the Rear Base of a Range. For cordand-
plug-connected household electric ranges, an attachment
plug and receptacle connection at the rear base of a
range, if it is accessible from the front by removal of a
drawer, shall be considered as meeting the intent of
422.33(A).
 
I would have agreed with all of the above were it not for an experience I had just last week.

Visited a homeowner that needed some work done. Needed to pull out the fridge to work on an overhead installed furnace adjacent to the fridge wall cavity.

Could not do so. Previous owner had completely enclosed fridge for "looks". Fridge could not be pulled out without "major" wall removal. It was then that I noticed something that would probably support the above inspector's request.

The plug, though readily seen from the side of the unit and plugged in there as well, could not under any circumstances be "unplugged". It had obviously been plugged in first and then the unit slid in alongside of it. Absolutely no clearance remained.

This unit simply could not be disconnected locally.

Therefore I would suggest that you demonstrate to yourself that "you" can in fact move that appliance to get to that "readily accessible" plug, before quoting code's to the inspector.

The other poster's gave you your "need to know" response. Personally, I'd install the lock(s).
 
yucan2 said:
I would have agreed with all of the above were it not for an experience I had just last week.

Visited a homeowner that needed some work done. Needed to pull out the fridge to work on an overhead installed furnace adjacent to the fridge wall cavity.

Could not do so. Previous owner had completely enclosed fridge for "looks". Fridge could not be pulled out without "major" wall removal. It was then that I noticed something that would probably support the above inspector's request.

The plug, though readily seen from the side of the unit and plugged in there as well, could not under any circumstances be "unplugged". It had obviously been plugged in first and then the unit slid in alongside of it. Absolutely no clearance remained.

This unit simply could not be disconnected locally.

Therefore I would suggest that you demonstrate to yourself that "you" can in fact move that appliance to get to that "readily accessible" plug, before quoting code's to the inspector.

The other poster's gave you your "need to know" response. Personally, I'd install the lock(s).
Click to expand...

I respect your opion but I believe locks to be unrequired and a silly presedent to have. You'll be installing locks for every appliance with the plug behind it.

If someone builds a structure around an appliance where demolishion is required to access the disconnect then you have a unique situation not the norm.
 
yucan2 said:
Could not do so. Previous owner had completely enclosed fridge for "looks". Fridge could not be pulled out without "major" wall removal.
Click to expand...

If you have to remove building finish in order to move the fridge to access the box then you have violation already.

314.29
 
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