What Do Electricians Call Disconnects

Service Disconnects: How Many and Where to Put Them. What's New For 2020?

By: | February 01, 2021

NEC Department 230.71. Six Switches or Circuit Breakers in One Enclosure

Since the 1937 edition of the NEC, the service disconnecting means used to isolate a building'south premises wiring from the utility provider's conductors has been allowed to consist of as few every bit i, but as many as six switches or sets of circuit breakers.

A veteran electrician would tell you that requirement (or permission, depending on your perspective) means six throws of the hand can be used to control all power on the property. Our veteran electrician is correct – if at that place is 1 electric service on the property.

The long-standing permission from the NEC to install upwards to half-dozen switches or circuit breakers or a combination thereof every bit the service disconnect for an electrical service remained uncontested through the 2017 Code cycle as long as:

These four double-pole circuit breakers served as a legal service disconnect during the 2017 code cycle. — These iv double-pole circuit breakers served as a legal service disconnect during the 2017 code cycle.

The switches or circuit breakers occupied the same electrical enclosure, or
The switches or circuit breakers were installed in 6 separate enclosures simply remained in a group together.

The message the NEC was sending was clear, the electrician could install six switches or circuit breakers to control the electrical service, just those command devices had to stay together in one location.

What Has Changed for the 2020 NEC?

NEC Section 230.71 has undergone a significant overhaul for the 2020 Code wheel, namely, the omission of the previous permission to install six switches or sets of circuit breakers acting as service disconnect, in a single enclosure .

You are still allowed four, five, or even 6 switches or circuit breakers to human activity every bit the one service disconnect, but those control devices must at present be installed within individual enclosures .

NEC 230.71 Maximum Number of Disconnects 2017 NEC vs. 2020 NEC

In the 2017 Code cycle, Section 230.71(A) immune up to half dozen switches or sets of circuit breakers to serve equally the service disconnect as long as all command devices were installed inside a single electrical enclosure or in divide enclosures, while the enclosures remained grouped.

In the 2020 Code cycle, Section 230.71(B) as well allows upwards to vi switches or sets of circuit breakers to serve as the master disconnect for one service, if they consist of a combination of any of the post-obit:

Separate enclosures with a primary service disconnecting means in each enclosure.
Panelboards with a main service disconnecting ways in each panelboard enclosure.
Switchboards where in that location is just one service disconnect in each split verticle section where at that place are barriers separating the sections.
Service disconnects in each switchgear or metering center where each disconnect is located in a separate compartment.

Section 230.72(A) then goes on to tell the electrician to grouping all of these individual enclosures acting as one service disconnect, and to marking each to indicate the load being served.

What 230.71 in the 2020 NEC fails to exercise is requite the electrician the same permission enjoyed since 1937 to install these six switches or sets of circuit breakers in one single electrical enclosure.

Multiple circuit breakers in the same enclosure are no longer permitted to serve as the service disconnect. — Multiple circuit breakers in the aforementioned enclosure are no longer permitted to serve every bit the service disconnect.

Gone are the days of installing 4, five, or fifty-fifty half-dozen two-pole circuit breakers in a single outdoor enclosure to control loads such equally the dwelling's load heart, the garage panel, the Ac condensing unit, the electric furnace, the pool pump, the hot tub on the deck, and so on.

Switches and Sets of Circuit Breakers

Unless you lot sleep with a Codebook nether your pillow, you may have found yourself stopping for an unceremonious double-accept at the NEC reference to " six sets of circuit breakers ."

Sets of excursion breakers?

Many of us take purchased a "set" of tires for our vehicles. Some of us may have sprung for a "ready" of bookends, at one fourth dimension, to tame the unruly stack of outdated Codebooks we refuse to role with – just in instance . Or perhaps we fifty-fifty purchased a "set" of encyclopedias. But I have failed to meet anyone who has purchased a " set " of circuit breakers. Though I am certain, they can be institute in an economical packet of 2!

What the NEC is referring to is a group of individual circuit breakers, perhaps two or fifty-fifty three, assembled to brand 1 two-pole or three-pole overcurrent device.

Remember, the Lawmaking allows upwardly to vi throws of the hand to stop power at an electrical service. This may include flipping a single-pole, ii-pole, or even 3-pole circuit breaker to consummate the task.

Determination

The NEC in 2020 has erased our antiquated method of installing half dozen excursion breakers in one enclosure to serve every bit a building's service disconnect. The reason? Bundling multiple service disconnect switches inside one enclosure makes it impossible to comply with NFPA 70E Standards for Electrical Prophylactic in the Workplace when information technology comes to safety work practices practical to service equipment.

While it may not seem convenient at present, this new revision to the Code allows electricians to flip a switch and terminate all power inside an enclosure for equipment servicing, making a safer work environment for all involved.

Castor upwardly on the 2020 NEC and other industry essentials when you complete electric continuing instruction . Courses are available for a significant number of states and can be completed entirely online. Connect with JADE Learning today to stay up to date on the latest technical, code-related news and topics.