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Friday, September 16, 2016
Question:
I enjoy CQD each morning; I look forward to learning something new each day.
My question pertains to locking a breaker on. 2011 NEC 240.80 specifically states that " circuit breakers shall be trip free and capable of being closed and opened by manual operation" and even goes on to say that automatic or pneumatic operation must be able to be manually operated.
I understand they will trip whether or not they are locked on. My concern is the manual operation portion, how are these breaker locks code compliant?
Thanks for your good work.
Eric Kist
A
Answer:
Hey Eric thanks for your question and the kind words. The rule that circuit breakers must be trip free applies to the circuit breaker manufacturer. If a circuit breaker is "locked on", by using an accessory that is available from the circuit breaker manufacturer, to reduce the likely hood that someone will arbitrarily or inadvertently turn of a circuit, the overcurrent portion will still function in the event of a fault. If the circuit breaker needs to be manually operated the accessory locking product can be removed.