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Monday, May 30, 2022

Question:

Greetings,

Could you clarify the intent of NEC 2020 Section 230.85 as to where the emergency disconnect required by this article should be located? I would surmise that an "emergency" disconnect would be located on the structure to be protected and not out of sight or on another property. The literal text states "outdoor location " which is extremely broad and vague, so I would like to query the intent.

Thank you much.

Kelly Stockwill

A

Answer:

Hi Kelly,

Thanks for the question. While the requirement for this emergency disconnect does not say where to install it, the words "readily accessible location" are used in the text. The rule leaves the exact outdoor location up to the owner/designer/installer and so forth, but the requirement relates to being readily accessible to first responders, and of course, the occupants. The term "readily accessible" is defined in Article 100 of the NEC. Hope this is helpful. 

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