Air conditioning components are not something the average person thinks about unless they stop working. Like everything installed in a house there are specific requirements for their installation.
Air conditioning compressors which are located outdoors require a service switch near the unit. The words "service switch" mean it is readily accessible to the HVAC professional or to anyone else who happens to walk by. Because these switches are easily accessed by anyone there should be some degree of safety built into them.
The first switch pictured has several defects that are safety and functionally concerning. The first and most disturbing is when the cover is opened the wiring is exposed. This type of switch is known as a knife switch and is very commonly found used in this application.
The other concerns are the ground wires are not attached to the switch cabinet and the wire from the house (white) is not enclosed or rated for exterior use. What can't be seen is the cover is broken and can not be tightly closed.
The second switch pictured is the same type as the first, but in better condition and without the defects described previously with the exception of the exposed internal wiring.
What is worth mentioning here is;
- The thermostat wire (brown) should not be inside the switch box or wiring conduit and
- This is a new installation and as such this switch should have been changed
The safer means of disconnect would be an enclosed switch box with a circuit breaker. When the cover is opened on this type of enclosure there is a safety panel covering the wiring. The cover is screwed in place and consequently not easily removed.
A last word about this type of knife switch enclosure is that the cover can be locked closed. At the bottom left corner of each box there is a metal tab with a hole for a lock. With the cover closed this tab fits through a slotted hole in the cover. A lock can then be attached, but I have yet to see one locked. This is worth mentioning because until the switch is changed it can be render safer in the interim.
Now you know which switch should be switched for the old switch.
James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC
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James---good post. If you locked it how would kids get there grubby little fingers in there?:)