Panel lockout/tagout?

[kvom]

I had the final electrical inspection on my build this week. Inspector said I needed a lockout "thingy" attached to the breaker for the water heater, since the heater can't be seen from the panel.

Breaker is a 2-pole SquareD 220V Q0 breaker. No luck at either Lowes, HD, or local electrical supply company. Apparently Grainger may have what I need.

Can anyone give me a product # that would work? It's the only thing left for me to get final inspection scheduled.

 

[Dogberry01]

Is the water heater hooked up?

 

[Dogberry01]

you can do this but it is overkill I think for a hot water heater.
http://www.graphicproducts.com/lockout/electrical-circuit-breakers.php

 

[walrus]

Breaker is a 2-pole SquareD 220V Q0 breaker. No luck at either Lowes, HD, or local electrical supply company. Apparently Grainger may have what I need.
.

Square D makes them and google is your friend

http://ecatalog.squared.com/pubs/Ci...sories/QO Handle Attachments/48840-233-01.pdf

You take the cover off the panel and the tabs fit into slots on the breaker. Real easy to install and the inspectors around me consider them permanent

 

[walrus]

you can do this but it is overkill I think for a hot water heater.
http://www.graphicproducts.com/lockout/electrical-circuit-breakers.php

This won't pass as its not permanent

 

[Stuart in MN]

The other thing you could do is install a disconnect switch adjacent to the water heater. You probably need a 30 amp two pole 240vac non-fused disconnect, which any big box store will carry (they have some that are labeled for use with air conditioners that are really inexpensive.) If you have a big water heater you may need a 60 amp disconnect.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

What the inspector is trying to say is that you must have the lockout because if you work on the water heater, it would be unsafe to just trip the breaker since someone could come along and reset it while you are working on it. He wants you to be able to lock it out.

What he should have recommended is what Stuart suggest, and it very common, is to install a disconnect right next to the water heater. One of the 60 amp rated air conditioner disconnect boxes (weatherproof not that you need it) is only about $10 to $14 at Home Depot or Lowes. This will eliminate the need for a tagout/lockout on the breaker at the main panel. This will put you in compliance with NEC which says if the equipment is more than 50 ft or is not visible line of sight with free passage between the two points, then you need a disconnect at the equipment, or be able to tagout/lockout the breaker supplying the circuit.

Charles

 

[kvom]

Water heater is hooked up and has been heating the floor for over a month. No sense in adding a switched disconnect when a $8 piece of sheet metal will do. I ordered one from Grainger: Q01PL. The inspector said that was the type they approve as "permanent".

Thanks for the replies.

 

[LoneGunman]

As others have said, non fused disconnect you you will be good to go.

 

[Aceman]

Personally, our shop uses the breaker lockouts Walrus posted for both new installs and existing. It's cheap and only takes 2 mins to remove the panel cover to install it.

 

[kvom]

I finally acquired the panel breaker lockout from Grainger for $8. 1 minute install time.

It is hard to believe that neither HD or Lowes, who sell SquareD breakers, don't carry the lockouts as well.