Valve Actuator Motor Disconnect

[trumanrogers]

I am confused as to the disconnecting means of a valve actuator motor (0.98 FLA nameplate rating) we are installing in an industrial facility. We are powering it from a control panel by way of two solid state relays (one for each direction of valve rotation). I know that my overcurrent device (quoted from 430.33) can be a "branch-circuit short-circuit and ground-fault protective device" with a rating specified by Table 430.52 of NEC 2011. So, I planned to use a circuit breaker to cover those situations and I thought that could be my disconnecting means as well, but 430.102 states that the disconnecting means shall be located in sight from the controller location with an exception for valve actuator motors that we do not meet due to no increased hazard. Exception 3 of Article 430.102 makes me a bit confused as to what the disconnecting means needs to be in sight of: the controller (our control panel) or the valve actuator motor itself. The two are not in sight of one another. So, can I use the aforementioned circuit breaker as my disconnecting means? What if I use a fuse as my short-circuit ground-fault protective device and a general use switch (toggle switch on a PCB) as my disconnecting means (430.109 (C) (1))?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

430.102(A) requires a disconnect within sight from the controller. 430.102(B) requires a disconnect within sight from the motor, but has an exception that will permit the controller disconnect to serve both purposes. Many industrial locations use part (b) of the exception to eliminate a disconnect at the motor.