Disconnect physical height?
Disconnect physical height?
(OP)
I have a motor with a fused disconnect. The disconnect is mounted within several feet of the motor. It is in a room that has five other motors. We have disconnects for each motor. The room houses a industrial water filter pool and these are the circulating pump motors. What is the NEC reference for height off the ground for the disconnects? I was told it is 18". I would like to verify this.






RE: Disconnect physical height?
In NEC, there are requirements and then there are exceptions. There is a requirement for maximum mounitng height of 78 inches for controls/breakers/disconnects etc. I beleive the height is measured to the center of the operating handle from the floor. (I would tend to measure to the top of the unit, to play safe). You can mount a disconncet higher, if you equip it with a pull chain/rod such that the chain handle is within 78 inches AFF.
The most common practice is to install the disconnects between 54 and 78 inches AFF.
By the way the 18 inches is recommended hight (measured to the top) for mountnig convenience receptacles. ADA (in the USA) requiers mounting of receptacles between 16 and 48 inches, among many other things.
The motor disconncets have nothing to do with ADA.
RE: Disconnect physical height?
RE: Disconnect physical height?
RE: Disconnect physical height?
RE: Disconnect physical height?
Get the owner on your side (which he/she should be) and read an riot act to the contractor.
18 inches is not a convenient for operation of a disconncet.
By the what size disconncet are we talking about?
RE: Disconnect physical height?
RE: Disconnect physical height?
But there are some exceptions that allow motor disconnects to be placed higher than 2 meters, if they are installed adjacent to the motor. You often see this on HVAC fans installed high up on walls.
RE: Disconnect physical height?
RE: Disconnect physical height?
Thank you for the reference. Another question since the ADA was brought up. Is there a guideline for when ADA applies in an industrial environment? Is this common sense? An example is the pool area my motors are in, is not readily accessible, therefore why would ADA apply?
RE: Disconnect physical height?
RE: Disconnect physical height?
I'm not sure that even this is actually required. The ADA was mainly intended to apply to facilities accessible to the public.
As much as it pains me to say this, you might have to ask an architect.
RE: Disconnect physical height?
Mike
RE: Disconnect physical height?
RE: Disconnect physical height?
Q. Must every feature of a new facility be accessible?
A. No, only a specified number of elements such as parking spaces and drinking fountains must be made accessible in order for a facility to be "readily accessible." Certain nonoccupiable spaces such as elevator pits, elevator penthouses, and piping or equipment catwalks need not be accessible.
To me...this implies that non-public spaces need not be ADA accessible, only the public ones.
Mike
RE: Disconnect physical height?
RE: Disconnect physical height?
Employement related issues are covered under equal opportunity guidelines and to accomodate a handiapped employee, the employer has to make reasonable attempt to provide facitilies which may follow guidlines of ADA (and more).
But that does not apply to electrical rooms...or other non public spaces..
RE: Disconnect physical height?
but you do need to install light swithes at 48" AFF max, etc...
but not a disconnect in a mechanical room.