Of the two to six service disconnecting means in a panel, only a disconnect used for ___ is permitted to be remote from the other disconnects.

• A. Control wiring
• B. A water pump intended for fire protection
• C. Elevator panels
• D. Supply to across-the-line starting

Answer: (B)

When a panel has two to six service disconnecting means, the goal is to keep most of the disconnects in one location so power can be shut off safely and efficiently for maintenance or emergencies. The only situation that allows a disconnect to be placed remote from the others is for a water pump that provides fire protection. This ensures the fire-protection pump can be controlled independently and remain accessible even if the rest of the building’s power-disconnects are closed or the building is in an emergency state. In other words, the fire pump needs a dedicated, remotely located disconnect to guarantee it can still receive power and be isolated when needed. The other options don’t involve life-safety fire protection systems and thus don’t have that same remote-disconnect requirement.