What's Wrong Here?

March 13, 2007
Hint: Full service door

Answer:

Calvin Burton of Fox Electric, Ltd., Arlington, Texas, sent in this photo of a unique electrical service his safety manager recently ran across. As Burton notes, this installation “gives a new meaning to service door.”

As you know, a door is supposed to be used as an entry or an exit for people. In this case, that is not possible. The rules for the placement and installation of service equipment — disconnecting means can be found in 230.70. The requirement states, ”Means shall be provided to disconnect all conductors in a building or other structure from the service entrance conductors.

”(A) Location. The service disconnecting means shall be installed in accordance with 230.70(A)(1), (A)(2), and (A)(3).

  • ”(1) Readily Accessible Location. The service disconnecting means shall be installed at a readily accessible location either outside of a building or structure or inside nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors.
  • ”(2) Bathrooms. Service disconnecting means shall not be installed in bathrooms.
  • ”(3) Remote Control. Where a remote control device(s) is used to actuate the service disconnecting means, the service disconnecting means shall be located in accordance with 230.70(A)(1).
“(B) Marking. Each service disconnect shall be permanently marked to identify it as a service disconnect.

(C) Suitable for Use. Each service disconnecting means shall be suitable for the prevailing conditions. Service equipment installed in hazardous (classified) locations shall comply with the requirements of Articles 500 through 517.

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About the Author

Joe Tedesco

Tedesco served the industry in many roles during his career. He was a director, senior electrical code instructor for National Technology Transfer, Inc. and American Trainco, Inc.. He was also a codes, standards and seminar specialist for the International Association of Electrical Inspectors and an electrical field service specialist for the National Fire Protection Association in Quincy, Mass. He ran his own business as an NEC consultant and is a Massachusetts licensed master electrician and journeyman electrician and certified electrical inspector (one and two family 2A; General 2B, and Plan Review, 2C). Tedesco also wrote articles for CEE News and EC&M (Code Violations Illustrated and What's Wrong Here?) for more than 15 years and helped launched the Moving Violations video series.

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