electric water heater disconnect

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by Mark Thorman

422.13(B) Appliances Rated Over 300 Volt-Amperes or 1/8 Horsepower. For permanently connected appliances rated over 300 volt-amperes or 1/8 hp, the branch-circuit switch or circuit breaker shall be permitted to serve as the disconnecting means where the switch or circuit breaker is within sight from the appliance or is capable of being locked in the open position. The provision for locking or adding a lock to the disconnecting means shall be installed on or at the switch or circuit breaker used as the disconnecting means and shall remain in place with or without the lock installed.

Applies to condensers, blower fans.

Just one other thought, the locked in the open position provision of 422.31(B) does not apply to most dwelling A/C compressors/fan units. They would be covered under 440.14:

440.14 Location.
Disconnecting means shall be located within sight from and readily accessible from the air-conditioning or refrigerating equipment. The disconnecting means shall be permitted to be installed on or within the air-conditioning or refrigerating equipment.
The disconnecting means shall not be located on panels that are designed to allow access to the air-conditioning or refrigeration equipment or to obscure the equipment nameplate(s).
Exception No. 1: Where the disconnecting means provided in accordance with 430.102(A) is capable of being locked in the open position, and the refrigerating or air-conditioning equipment is essential to an industrial process in a facility with written safety procedures, and where the conditions of maintenance and supervision ensure that only qualified persons service the equipment, a disconnecting means within sight from the equipment shall not be required. The provision for locking or adding a lock to the disconnecting means shall be installed on or at the switch or circuit breaker and shall remain in place with or without the lock installed.
Exception No. 2: Where an attachment plug and receptacle serve as the disconnecting means in accordance with 440.13, their location shall be accessible but shall not be required to be readily accessible.

www.MauiHomeInspections.com[/quote]

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by Mark Thorman

So are we all agreed? The Realtor and the electrician were right? According to the NEC an electric water heater does not require any disconnect other than a circuit breaker at the main panel or sub panel and it does not need to be insight.

www.MauiHomeInspections.com

Nope. I don't agree.

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by Mark Thorman

It clearly states.

(A) Rated at Not Over 300 Volt-Amperes or 1/8 Horsepower. For permanently connected appliances rated at not over 300 volt-amperes or 1/8 hp, the branch-circuit overcurrent device shall be permitted to serve as the disconnecting means.

Does this not describe an electric water heater?

www.MauiHomeInspections.com

A water heater is over 300 VA so that section does not apply. You would need to look at 422.31(B) which requires the disconnect to be within sight, or it's required to have a device to lock in it the open position if not within sight.

[Chuck Evans]

Mark,

You may want to correct your post 17 to avoid confusion for folks referencing this thread in the future. Just a suggestion as people do refer back to these a lot.

[Mark Thorman]

Originally Posted by cevans

Mark,

You may want to correct your post 17 to avoid confusion for folks referencing this thread in the future. Just a suggestion as people do refer back to these a lot.

Done.

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by cevans

Mark,

You may want to correct your post 17 to avoid confusion for folks referencing this thread in the future. Just a suggestion as people do refer back to these a lot.

Originally Posted by Mark Thorman

Done.

Just my opinion but deleting those posts makes this thread even more confusing.

[Eldon E. Holliday, Jr.]

Ken, you are correct to call them out. I know we are not code inspectors so let's not start that discussion, however I would reference 2003 IRC T401.5 or 2003 UPC, Electric water heaters require in-sight or lockable disconnect.

[Robert Ernst]

Since a disconnect issue is referred to a Electrical Contractor and the contractor states it’s not required then we as Inspectors are out of it at that point and it’s up to the buyer to correct it if they want. Many things are “not required” due to it not being required when the house was built. A new water heater install would be required to meet the new standards and if it wasn’t they should be contacting the installer and the local building official to double check. Myself I would suggest that a disconnect should be done when they replace the water heater but for now get a lockout. It’s an easier cheaper solution that works and is more likely to get done.

[kschaumann]

Originally Posted by eholliday

Ken, you are correct to call them out. I know we are not code inspectors so let's not start that discussion, however I would reference 2003 IRC T401.5 or 2003 UPC, Electric water heaters require in-sight or lockable disconnect.

Thank you! And I do continue to call them out, for obvious reasons. Knowing the codes is good information, but I also do not quote them as like you said we are not code inspectors.
Ken