You May Not Agree -Thats Okay

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When the AC went out on my house two years ago, we had a new unit put in on the other side of the building. I ran the line and put the disconnect where it needed to be. I went to work the next day and my wife calls me to tell me that the HVAC guys said the disconnect was too high and it had to be moved so it was going to cost more money. I ask her to put the "gentleman" on the phone. He told me that the closer to the unit it was the more efficient it would work. (Really, an extra two feet will do all that). I told him to leave the disconnect were it was and hook it up, he said I can't the code requires that it be as short as possible. I ask the "gentleman" to put my wife back on the phone, when she got on I asked her to go inside and get my license out of the folder on my desk and show it to him...
The AC was hooked up, the office was called, and I will never do busines with that company again.
 
LarryFine said:
So where are the splices that lengthen the conductors?? :-?
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Larry haven't you seen those new wire strechers they sell at the Big orange. There great when you're in a pinch.:cool:
 
Nice catch on the holes for the mounting Arc..we all look at the standard mounting system on a AC unit..now how many inspectors actually look to see if the conductors are correctly sized..lets say it has a minimum circuit size of 36 amps and a 60 amp breaker..is the normal #10 wire size good enough or do you need to up it to #8..do any inspectors actually look at that..
 
It almost seems to me that the electrician was asked to install a disco, perhaps even with a pig-tail in place, then the HVAC guys came along plopped down the pad and hooked up the condenser unit. Would any sane electrician would get BEHIND the AC unit to install the disco?

BTW the wall punchthrough is a nice way for water to get in and soak the insulation, milldew and all......
 
I put warnings, notes, cross hatched areas, etc. regarding HVAC disconnects all over my drawings. Waste of time. The HVAC people screw things up EVERY time. Although, all too many EC's don't think ahead enough or bother to coordinate with the HVAC folk.

Grrrrrrr

RC
 
It appears as though the service panel is on the corner hidden from view, as shown in these Luxaire documents. One of the drawings only mentions for there to be "... 18" service access clearance on one side...", but that covers the condenser unit access.

The disconnect should have been left alone where it was...

From their Technical Spec:

LuxaireTechnical.jpg


From their Installation Instructions:

LuxaireInstall.jpg
 
480sparky said:
If so, why all the pipe? And why so low?

If I'm gonna mount the disco, I like to mount them up high enough so I don't have to get on my hands & knees to wire them
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It would be impossible to have installed this after the unit was set so I am assuming the ec set the disco and left. I normally just poke out the sill plate into the back of the disconnect and use one of those whips they sell to go to the unit. I can prewire it on a bench and just slip it over the feed a couple of screws a few wires to land and call it a day. You have to get on your hands and knees to wire the unit anyway.
 
You May Not Agree-Thats Okay

You May Not Agree-Thats Okay

tryinghard said:
This is very common!
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Condensing unit installations,are IMO the most common NEC violations of 110.26.

One of the problems is that the condenser is not always in place on the final inspection, especially in the winter time,so it is not always inspected.

My question is who is responsible for making the final connection, or is the a/c contractor qualified?
 
quogueelectric said:
It would be impossible to have installed this after the unit was set so I am assuming the ec set the disco and left.
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Doesn't look hard to me, I could do it pretty easy (or should I say ugly easy), not that I would.:confused:
 
romeo said:
Condensing unit installations,are IMO the most common NEC violations of 110.26.

One of the problems is that the condenser is not always in place on the final inspection, especially in the winter time,so it is not always inspected.

My question is who is responsible for making the final connection, or is the a/c contractor qualified?
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It depends on the licensing statutes of the state you are in. In Utah an HVAC contractor is permitted to install the A/C whip up to 8' from the disconnect to the A/C unit and make the final connection. They are not permitted to install the disconnect or run the circuit wiring between the overcurrent device and the A/C disconnect, without a valid electrical contractors license.

As for whether or not the HVAC contractor is qualified, that is a debate for another time.:D

Chris
 
mivey said:
Doesn't look hard to me, I could do it pretty easy (or should I say ugly easy), not that I would.:confused:
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Are you telling me that anyone with all that space on the wall would put it there directly behind the unit because they like to struggle?? Come on now. Anywhere but there.
 
quogueelectric said:
Are you telling me that anyone with all that space on the wall would put it there directly behind the unit because they like to struggle?? Come on now. Anywhere but there.
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I guess I could modify your post:
quogueelectric said:
It would be impossible for anyone with common sense to have installed this after the unit was set so I am assuming the ec set the disco and left.
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We have seen some pretty stupid stuff on Friday's pics.
 
frizbeedog said:
Does the acces panel to that unit reqiure the same working clearances?

I had a discussion with an HVAC installer recently that said it did not.

But I disagreed.
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Installer should get his inspector's certification prior to making such statements :smile: . IMHO, the unit also needs to comply with 110.26 if not
more so than the disconnect. From KentAT's post, it appears that the service panel on this particular unit is on the right side, so here they are possibly saved.
 
cschmid said:
..now how many inspectors actually look to see if the conductors are correctly sized..lets say it has a minimum circuit size of 36 amps and a 60 amp breaker..is the normal #10 wire size good enough or do you need to up it to #8..do any inspectors actually look at that..
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Mine do all the time.
 
cschmid said:
now how many inspectors actually look to see if the conductors are correctly sized..lets say it has a minimum circuit size of 36 amps and a 60 amp breaker..is the normal #10 wire size good enough or do you need to up it to #8..do any inspectors actually look at that..
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I always check the wire and overcurrent protection size for A/C units.

For me it is more common to find a 40 amp breaker and #8 NM cable run to a small A/C unit with a Max overcurrent device of 30 or 35 amps.

Chris
 
cschmid said:
...it..now how many inspectors actually look to see if the conductors are correctly sized..lets say it has a minimum circuit size of 36 amps and a 60 amp breaker..is the normal #10 wire size good enough or do you need to up it to #8..do any inspectors actually look at that..
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I also look. And, as for the #10, it's acceptance by me would depend in the type wire (NM vs THWN) and the terminal temperature ratings.
 
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