Generac ATS - Generator Disconnect

W@ttson

W@ttson

Senior Member
Location
NJ-USA
Occupation
PE
Hello,

I found a few posts regarding this and I always come out without the exact solution I was hoping for.

Say you have a 200A Service Entrance Rated Generac ATS. The ATS has all of the required labeling for "Emergency disconnect service disconnect", such as the below example:
1749659323354.png

Now, these ATSs have only one breaker inside. It is a 200A breaker and it turns off the utility feed. Once this happens the generator will automatically turn on. If the generator is at some other location, there needs to be some sort of signage on the ATS indicating where the generator is.

What part of the code allows a second emergency disconnect? (in other words, makes it code compliant to have the fire fighter have to disconnect the utility breaker inside the ATS and then go to the Generator disconnect and turn that off)
What part of the code specifies the size of the signage?
What part of the code dictates the format and what must be written on the generator location signage?
 
The code is a bit ambiguous in this area.

IMO:

"Service disconnect" should refer to a service, i.e. supplied by a utility

"Emergency disconnect" is the kill switch loop that exists on most any serious generator these days. It can stop the prime mover and stopping the prime mover also is allowed to function as a disconnect.

Various code sections all add up to this.
 
Birken Vogt said:
The code is a bit ambiguous in this area.

IMO:

"Service disconnect" should refer to a service, i.e. supplied by a utility

"Emergency disconnect" is the kill switch loop that exists on most any serious generator these days. It can stop the prime mover and stopping the prime mover also is allowed to function as a disconnect.

Various code sections all add up to this.
Click to expand...
How does all that end up with complying with 230.85 of the NEC (2020 cycle)?
 
I misspoke. The "generator emergency disconnect" is a different thing than the 230.85 "emergency disconnect".

230.85 only references a service. A service is defined as coming from a utility. So IMO it does not really apply to generators.

We put a big red mushroom switch near the main disco for common sense's sake but the code citation path for the generator disco/prime mover stop is long and winding, and probably contradictory and ambiguous. But let's not give "them" another opportunity to mess things up harder.
 
Because 230.85 deals with service disconnects only, and generators, ESS, solar with battery backup, etc, are not services.

We are required to post labels stating there is a second source of power, and its location, and standby generators are required to have shut off switch that is lockable in the off position, and requires manual reset.

I think if they eventually want all disconnect switches for all power sources on a residence to be grouped, they will add that at some point. But as it stands now, that is not required.
 
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