Service Entrance Rated Fused Disconnect

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A

ABP Electric Inc.

Member
Location
Lakeland, FL
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I have an electrical inspector that will not allow us to install a Service Entrance Rated 3Phase 3R 250 volt Fused Disconnect on an overhead service pole next to the meter. Does anybody have a code section that I can use to show him that this application is acceptable by the NEC?
 
A

ABP Electric Inc.

Member
Location
Lakeland, FL
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
infinity said:
What is his issue with that disconnect?
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I told the inspector that the disconnect can be locked out and this is his response.

The installation is deemed, as is, to be a danger to the general public, particularly children, in that it is exposed to the general public. Please provide an installation that complies with the following sections of the 2017 edition of the National Electric Code:

  • 110.26 (E)(2)(a)(2) requires protection from accidental contact by unauthorized persons.
  • 230.70( c). The service panel installed is not suitable for the prevailing conditions. i.e., without an enclosure with a dead front panel, the electrical equipment is accessible to unauthorized persons, with particular emphasis to children.
  • 100. A dead front “without live parts exposed to a person on the operating side of the equipment” is required.
  • 408.38. Required to have a dead front for protection of the general public (not be accessible to unqualified persons).
Providing an installation that is compliant with the above is required. Please notify me when corrections are completed, for re-inspection.

Thanks,



James W. Grant

Florida Building Code Administrator

Building Official:

City of Marianna

City of Blountstown

Chipola College

Jackson County School Board

Cell: 850-526-8367

jameswgrant@outlook.com
 
W

wwhitney

Senior Member
Location
Berkeley, CA
Occupation
Retired
infinity said:
Am I missing something? I don't see switches in either of those code sections.
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From the 2017 NEC:

Switchgear. An assembly completely enclosed on all sides and top with sheet metal (except for ventilating openings and inspection windows) and containing primary power circuit switching, interrupting devices, or both, with buses and connections. The assembly may include control and auxiliary devices. Access to the interior of the enclosure is provided by doors, removable covers, or both.

That sounds very general, would a fusible disconnect meet that definition? I'm not clear on what the word "primary" there is meant to mean.

Cheers, Wayne
 
tom baker

tom baker

First Chief Moderator & NEC Expert
Staff member
Location
Bremerton, Washington
Occupation
Master Electrician
The cover can be opened unless green switch is off. The handle can have a hole drilled in it (I have done this many times), and the switch locked in the on position- no violation to do this. The most recent switches I installed 5 years ago had a line side cover
 
Fred B

Fred B

Senior Member
Location
Upstate, NY
Occupation
Electrician
ABP Electric Inc. said:
I told the inspector that the disconnect can be locked out and this is his response.

The installation is deemed, as is, to be a danger to the general public, particularly children, in that it is exposed to the general public. Please provide an installation that complies with the following sections of the 2017 edition of the National Electric Code:

  • 110.26 (E)(2)(a)(2) requires protection from accidental contact by unauthorized persons.
  • 230.70( c). The service panel installed is not suitable for the prevailing conditions. i.e., without an enclosure with a dead front panel, the electrical equipment is accessible to unauthorized persons, with particular emphasis to children.
  • 100. A dead front “without live parts exposed to a person on the operating side of the equipment” is required.
  • 408.38. Required to have a dead front for protection of the general public (not be accessible to unqualified persons).
Providing an installation that is compliant with the above is required. Please notify me when corrections are completed, for re-inspection.
Click to expand...
Pictures tell a lot. Do you have pictures of the installation?
 
infinity

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
wwhitney said:
From the 2017 NEC:

Switchgear. An assembly completely enclosed on all sides and top with sheet metal (except for ventilating openings and inspection windows) and containing primary power circuit switching, interrupting devices, or both, with buses and connections. The assembly may include control and auxiliary devices. Access to the interior of the enclosure is provided by doors, removable covers, or both.

That sounds very general, would a fusible disconnect meet that definition? I'm not clear on what the word "primary" there is meant to mean.

Cheers, Wayne
Click to expand...
A disconnect switch is not switchgear. The two are covered by different Articles in the NEC.
 
S

Strathead

Senior Member
Location
Ocala, Florida, USA
Occupation
Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
ABP Electric Inc. said:
I told the inspector that the disconnect can be locked out and this is his response.

The installation is deemed, as is, to be a danger to the general public, particularly children, in that it is exposed to the general public. Please provide an installation that complies with the following sections of the 2017 edition of the National Electric Code:

  • 110.26 (E)(2)(a)(2) requires protection from accidental contact by unauthorized persons.
  • 230.70( c). The service panel installed is not suitable for the prevailing conditions. i.e., without an enclosure with a dead front panel, the electrical equipment is accessible to unauthorized persons, with particular emphasis to children.
  • 100. A dead front “without live parts exposed to a person on the operating side of the equipment” is required.
  • 408.38. Required to have a dead front for protection of the general public (not be accessible to unqualified persons).
Providing an installation that is compliant with the above is required. Please notify me when corrections are completed, for re-inspection.

Thanks,



James W. Grant

Florida Building Code Administrator

Building Official:

City of Marianna

City of Blountstown

Chipola College

Jackson County School Board

Cell: 850-526-8367

jameswgrant@outlook.com
Click to expand...
I agree, he is an idiot. 230.70c isn't applicable the way he is using it. The reference is environment. As another stated, it is a listed disconnecting means, so "accessibility" isn't a reason to shut down per 230.70c. If it was a corrosive environment and the disconnect was deteriorating , that would be covered. 110.26 is just dumb. "accidental" isn't over riding the door interlock, and opening the door in the energized position and then sticking your hand in, isn't accidental.
408. Have the inspector read the definitions, a disconnect isn't a switchboard, panelboard or switchgear. The code is very specific. And a disconnect doesn't have a dead front.
 
J

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
I think the "suitable for prevailing conditions"per 230.70c is referring to a 3r Rating for outdoor or a different rating depending on where the disconnect is located.

408.38 is in regards to "Panelboards". A disconnect is not a Panelboard.

Most all current disconnects are designed that the door will not open without shutting the disconnect off first.

As far as 110.26 accidental contact, that's an interesting interpretation of the rule.

Interested to hear what others think.

Build a fence around it maybe?

JAP>
 
H

hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
Most 3R disconnects have a padlock provision for the cover, so a padlock on the cover should satisfy the conditions the inspector is citing. Anybody with a screwdriver can remove the dead front on a panel, and the mechanical interlock on a disconnect requires a tool to bypass. I believe the inspector has no grounds in this case.
 
W

wwhitney

Senior Member
Location
Berkeley, CA
Occupation
Retired
infinity said:
A disconnect switch is not switchgear. The two are covered by different Articles in the NEC.
Click to expand...
That's not a definition based answer, just an assertion. Although I agree that is my preconception and understanding of common usage.

So what part of the definition excludes typical disconnect switches? Is it the part about buses, looking at a few pictures it looks like there are generally no buses? Do they ever have buses?

Thanks,
Wayne
 
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