Disconnect in wall cabinet

[Marc]

Any prohibition against it? I worked with a group of electricians yesterday installing electric tankless heaters at lavatory locations in a school. Each needed a line-of-sight disconnect. A few were inside base cabinets but several were inside wall cabinets between or behind adjustable shelving that was notched to accommodate the disconnect.

These disconnects are the same ones sometimes used at AC condenser unit locations. They're non-fusible.

I argued against it but can't find any prohibition.

Marc

[John Kogel]

"an unobstructed line-of-sight between a subject and object" is from Wikipedia.

Good luck, Marc. You are outnumbered by a group of Cajun sparkies. []

[mjr6550]

Just recently did two new construction houses with wall ovens. They had disconnect boxes for the ovens (which I never saw before), and they were mounted in the back of the cabinet above the ovens. Does not mean it is correct, because electrical inspectors around here will put a sticker on just about anything, otherwise the electrician will just give the work to another inspection agency.

[Jim Katen]

Any prohibition against it? I worked with a group of electricians yesterday installing electric tankless heaters at lavatory locations in a school. Each needed a line-of-sight disconnect. A few were inside base cabinets but several were inside wall cabinets between or behind adjustable shelving that was notched to accommodate the disconnect.

These disconnects are the same ones sometimes used at AC condenser unit locations. They're non-fusible.

I argued against it but can't find any prohibition.

Marc

What about the requirement for working space?

[kurt]

Are all shut offs subject to the working space requirement?

[Marc]

Any prohibition against it? I worked with a group of electricians yesterday installing electric tankless heaters at lavatory locations in a school. Each needed a line-of-sight disconnect. A few were inside base cabinets but several were inside wall cabinets between or behind adjustable shelving that was notched to accommodate the disconnect.

These disconnects are the same ones sometimes used at AC condenser unit locations. They're non-fusible.

I argued against it but can't find any prohibition.

Marc

What about the requirement for working space?

110.26 (F)

Exception: Control equipment that by its very nature or because of other rules of the Code must be adjacent to or within sight of its operating machinery shall be permitted in those locations.

Marc

[Jim Katen]

110.26 (F)

Exception: Control equipment that by its very nature or because of other rules of the Code must be adjacent to or within sight of its operating machinery shall be permitted in those locations.

Marc

That exception only applies to the requirement in 110.26(F), not all of 110.26:

(F) Dedicated Equipment Space. All switchboards, panelboards, distribution boards, and motor control centers shall be located in dedicated spaces and protected from damage.

It has to do with "dedicated equipment space" not working space.

The disconnects for the water heaters should have adequate working space around them, just as they would if they were being used as disconnects for AC units.

[Marc]

110.26 (F)

Exception: Control equipment that by its very nature or because of other rules of the Code must be adjacent to or within sight of its operating machinery shall be permitted in those locations.

Marc

That exception only applies to the requirement in 110.26(F), not all of 110.26:

(F) Dedicated Equipment Space. All switchboards, panelboards, distribution boards, and motor control centers shall be located in dedicated spaces and protected from damage.

It has to do with "dedicated equipment space" not working space.

The disconnects for the water heaters should have adequate working space around them, just as they would if they were being used as disconnects for AC units.

That seems to be what I need. Gonna talk with my boss next time I see him. A lot of the common sense stuff seems to be in the early chapters in the NEC.

Thanks fellas.

Marc