# FPE disconnects



## NJMike (Dec 11, 2016)

Hi all,

I did a house where two of the three AC compressors have Federal Pacific local disconnects. They appear to be OCPDs - they look like circuit breakers and have amperage ratings printed on them. These three compressors are all downstream from another circuit breaker in the main panel, but that one is 100A for all three of them. The local disconnects are all outdoors right next to the compressors. 

Am I justified in having them call one of you guys in? Or is that only for FPE service panels? 

By the way, also a terminology question - would it be correct to refer to these boxes with the disconnects as "sub panels"? 

Thanks in advance,

Mike


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

They are called disconnects and this is one of those situations where you can mention the possibility of potential failure and recommend an electrician evaluate them.

I'm just not understanding what you mean about a single 100 amp circuit powering all three of these separate disconnects.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Cable from the 100 amp breaker goes to a trough and feeds the disconnects I figure is the configuration.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

MechanicalDVR said:


> Cable from the 100 amp breaker goes to a trough and feeds the disconnects I figure is the configuration.


 That's possible. A subpanel would've been a lot easier than all that splicing.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

HackWork said:


> That's possible. A subpanel would've been a lot easier than all that splicing.


Agreed but I've seen it many times. 

It looks really special when you see maybe a #12awg coming out of connection that had say a #2awg feeding it all.


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## NJMike (Dec 11, 2016)

Yes, it was a pair of 3 AWG lines from the 100 amp breaker feeding one of the disconnect boxes, I imagine it was spliced inside there to feed the other two. I didn't open them up. Outdoor flexible type conduit between the boxes. Looks like a fairly old installation, but the compressor units are not that old, so the HVAC guy must have thought it was OK.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

When you see those red handled FPE breakers, it's usually something that we would change out.

As with most things, if you have a genuine concern you should cite it as a possible issue and have a professional in that field evaluate it. There's nothing wrong with that.

The problem is when you say something is definitely a problem and dangerous, when it's not. That's not your place.

A home inspector took a lot of crap here a few years back because he write up in a report that the receptacle in a bathroom was too close to the shower and it needed to be moved. But the receptacle was completely code compliant and moving it would cost a lot of money for the electrical work and require many holes to be patched and painted. 

He shouldn't have said that it was dangerous and needed to be moved, he should have said that it could be dangerous and an electrician should be consulted.


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## NJMike (Dec 11, 2016)

Yeah, I really try to avoid being too definitive like that, unless it is something totally obvious. Even an HI who used to be an electrician would not necessarily be aware of all the possible options available to deal with a situation, since new stuff comes out all the time. For me it's always better to say let the electrician / plumber / HVAC guy / roofer etc. recommend the actual solution. 

A good example is that it is now allowed to install labeled GFCIs on an ungrounded circuit. Not too long ago, it was either rewire the branch or live with two prong outlets.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

NJMike said:


> A good example is that it is now allowed to install labeled GFCIs on an ungrounded circuit. Not too long ago, it was either rewire the branch or live with two prong outlets.


NJMike.,, err .,, just a little correction to ya that statement ya say .,, 

That part it been legit for long time I have done that route for many years so I am aware of it. 


some items are in grandfather clause but just dont dig into deep on that part.


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## NJMike (Dec 11, 2016)

I had the impression that the allowance for GFCIs at ungrounded outlets was kind of recent....but maybe my idea of "recent" is getting distorted by age 

But anyway there's an example of why HIs should best avoid insisting on specific solutions, people from the actual trades are going to be alot more up to date on all the available options.


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