Quality Fused Disconnects

[Major Ramifications]

Hey guys,
I would like to replace the disconnects for the condensing units for our house. After looking at the Square D and Murray fused disconnects at Lowes, I thought that there must be something better out there. These things look really cheap compared to the old ones that I intend to replace. Are there more industrial quality ones available from a supply house? The units call for 20 amp time delay fuses or HACR (?) breakers.
Thanks.

 

[W-Cummins]

Yep those are **** the $10-20$ non fused AC disconnects are really bad. There are lots of better disconnects out there how much do you want to spend? Check out e-bay if you not in a huge hurry you can get a great deal on one. I buy ( and need 600v rated models ) and I can get them for about 10 cents on the wholesale dollar from flee bay...

William...

 

[rburke65]

I am an electrician and I used to install and wire a few hundred central air units every summer. The small electric contractor that I worked for did all the wiring for the one HVAC contractor in town. This may vary by local code but WE only needed to have a disconnect and NOT a fused disconnect. This disconnect is required so that the person servicing the cond. unit can kill the 220 V. from the outside and not worry about someone else flipping the breaker back ON inside the house while they are working on it. Also, as stated above, you get what you pay for.

 

[CraigFL]

I'm not sure what you think makes them cheap... They have to conform to the National Electrical Code. They're made of plastic but that's so they don't corrode. I like Square D myself. I look for one that you can store the fuse pull by reversing it in the holder--that way you don't lose it.