Shut off for water heater

[Dave Gilstrap]

I am running into this alot lately. A light switch used as a line of sight shut off for an electric water heater. Is it OK?

[John Kogel]

That seems odd. It looks like a 120 volt device used to shut off a 240 volt appliance.
It is not required where I am, but may be a new California thing. :)

[Jack Feldmann]

It's kind of odd. I guess if the switch was rated for 30 amps/240V it might be OK.

[Eric Barker]

What's that set up suppose to do? Open just one leg of the 220 line?

[Dave Gilstrap]

Yeah you are right Eric. It just doesn't make sense. I called it out. There is a lot of investor flips here in the Sacramento area and some of the things the investors do really makes you scratch your head.

[Jim Port]

It's kind of odd. I guess if the switch was rated for 30 amps/240V it might be OK.

Agreed, however the flex should have been secured to the wall.

[John Kogel]

Agreed, however the flex should have been secured to the wall.
Also, it needs to be a double pole device, it needs to open both feeders, otherwise it presents a shock hazard.

[Corn Walker]

In that first picture it looks like the switch housing might be green - although it could also just be chromatic aberration in the photo. Leviton makes a 30A 120/277V DPST toggle switch like that with a green housing.

[Lou Romano]

It is a requirement for the hot water heater to have a means of disconnect and the switch pictured appears to be a 30-amp DPST switch which is correct for the application. However something doesn't look right about how the switch box is connected to the flush mounted box behind it? Is that a round ceiling ring with half of it uncovered?

Here in Miami, some municipalities enforce this means of disconnect and/or they require a lock-out device be installed on the breaker.

A hot water heater is an appliance just like an AC unit is and it is required to have a disconnecting means at the unit or be within sight of the breaker that feeds it.

[Jerry Peck]

A hot water heater is an appliance just like an AC unit is and it is required to have a disconnecting means at the unit or be within sight of the breaker that feeds it.

The water heater is required to have a disconnect within 50 feet straight line sight of the appliance, or ... or the disconnect can have a lockout device installed which is always in place, whether the breaker is locked out or not.

An A/C, on the other hand, is required to have a disconnect within 50 feet straight line sight of the A/C, a lockout device on the breaker is not allowed, unless the air conditioner or refrigeration equipment is part of an essential process at an industrial plant - which does not allow installing lockout devices for air conditioning equipment installed in dwelling units.

[JB Thompson]

The water heater is required to have a disconnect within 50 feet straight line sight of the appliance, or ... or the disconnect can have a lockout device installed which is always in place, whether the breaker is locked out or not.

An A/C, on the other hand, is required to have a disconnect within 50 feet straight line sight of the A/C, a lockout device on the breaker is not allowed, unless the air conditioner or refrigeration equipment is part of an essential process at an industrial plant - which does not allow installing lockout devices for air conditioning equipment installed in dwelling units.

Jerry, I realize this post is over a year old, but I've got a question or two.

I've been reading the 2009 IRC all morning and cannot find the 50 ft straight line comment you referenced.

I did find this in Table 4101.5
Branch circuit breaker or switch located within sight of appliance or such
devices in any location that are 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.

But this refers to permanently installed appliances over 300 volts.

Am I missing something? Water heaters are 240 volts generally.

Of course, common sense says you would want the disconnect within sight in case you're working on it (unless it's locked out), but I can't find the reference to 50 ft. and now I'm questioning my thinking on the line of sight thing b/c that's what I've always said (though I thought it was 25 feet).

Curious to know your thoughts,
Bruce

[Jerry Peck]

But this refers to permanently installed appliances over 300 volts.

Am I missing something? Water heaters are 240 volts generally.

Bruce,

What you are missing is that table refers to 300 "volt-amperes", not 300 volts.

A 240 volt water heater operating at 4500 watts is drawing 18.75 amps, however, the better term to use is that the water heater is 18.75 amps x 240 volts = 4500 volt-amperes (watts = volts x amps).

[Jerry Peck]

Within sight is defined in the NEC in Article 100, definitions. That's where you will find the 50' reference.

From the NEC.
In Sight From (Within Sight From, Within Sight). Where this Code specifies that one equipment shall be “in sight from,” “within sight from,” or “within sight of,” and so forth, another equipment, the specified equipment is to be visible and not more than 15 m (50 ft) distant from the other.


Also if that box contains #10 AWG conductors it's too small.

Huh? I must have missed something, maybe in the older posts?

[Bill Kriegh]

Looks like an extension box to me - mounted either on a mud ring or another device box. IF there is a box behind the one that appears to be on the surface the wire fill will be fine

[JB Thompson]

Bruce,

What you are missing is that table refers to 300 "volt-amperes", not 300 volts.

A 240 volt water heater operating at 4500 watts is drawing 18.75 amps, however, the better term to use is that the water heater is 18.75 amps x 240 volts = 4500 volt-amperes (watts = volts x amps).

Thanks for responding. Sufficed to say, I figured I was missing something. :)

I do this occasionally. I'll learn some fact that corrects my way of thinking and then several months or years later, I'll forget why I call out things a particular way.

Thx to Robert for NEC reference.