What is an emergency switch outside a utility room supposed to be for?

[RBM]

Think of a relay on the furnace jamming in the closed position and the furnace just keeps blowing hot air, and won't stop running

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Two dollars a year for a million years?

[George E. Cawthon]

So? Wouldn't the furnace be on breaker and you would just trip the breaker? Of Course tripping the electricity would (should) stop the release of gas from a electronically controlled appliance. Wouldn't work with my gas water heater since there isn't any electricity to it and glad of it. Power goes off, I've still got hot water.

Maybe NJ is just a bit too controlling-- make that "They are a bit paranoid."

[Edwin Pawlowski]

In reality, how many people know where the breakers are, let alone which one to flip? It may be that the breaker box is in close proximity to the malfunctioning appliance too.

In my case, the emergency switch is on the upper level. No need to go near an overheating oil burner, or one that is spewing smoke.

[RBM]

Nope, when a heating device like a boiler or furnace malfunctions, you want something really obvious to turn it off. You don't need to be scrounging around a breaker panel for the right one. Got nothing to do with paranoia, just safety

[Larry]

My guess would be the heater, if it works anything at all. Is it possible that there was an oil-fired unit in the building at one time? (Or maybe still?) In my area, these switches are required for oil fired boilers and furnaces but not for gas. Often when an oil burner is replaced with gas, the switches are simply left in place even though no longer connected to anything.

[HeyBub]

For cryin' out loud!

It has a SIGN on it.

It's for EMERGENCIES!

[mm]

Perhaps. I haven't gotten the first check yet.

[mm]

Maryland, or maybe it's Baltimore, is considering banning trans-fat at restaurants. They are afraid that people will die from second-hand fat.

[The Other Funk]

Finding the keyboard operational George E. Cawthon entered:

You can not ump your own gaoline in NJ. It must be pumped by a "trained" operator. That is to prevent all the fires that happen in all the other states. Bob

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-- Coffee worth staying up for ? NY Times

[trader4]

As others have pointed out, the purpose of the switch is to have an obvious and easily accessible shut off switch in case the furnace or boiler is malfunctioning. I don't know the specific code that requires it, but as RBM pointed out, they are required here in NJ for a furnace/boiler, regardless of fuel. They have a red plate that says Emergency Furnace Shut Off. I've seen them in homes in NY state for sure as well. They only shut off the electric to the furnace. And I don't know what code says about where they have to be located, but everyone I've seen has been in a location well away from the furnace. Typical is in the stairwell leading to the basement, just inside the door. The essential idea is, if the furnace goes nuts and is rumbling, smoking and making strange noises, you want a way to shut it off without having to go near it.

[Nick Hull]

No, it pays the full $2M lump sum in 100 years ;)

[Jim Yanik]

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:s9dvh.2681$ [e-mail]:

No,that's the POLISH lottery.... ;-)

the Italian lottery pays off in lira.

(not euros)

[Jim Yanik]

"George E. Cawthon" wrote in news:Qzdvh.479519$ [e-mail]:

In our Tektronix field service center,we had an emergency power cutoff button in case a person got across voltage where they could not let go. Hit the button,and ALL the shop's power disconnects.

It's a safety feature.

[The Other Funk]

Finding the keyboard operational Jim Yanik entered:

I don't remember one in the Woodbridge NJ Tektronix service center but every lab in Lucent (ex Bell Labs) had a electrical cutout. One time the electricians used a standar light switch instead of the covered button they were supposed to use. Made for a lot of lost work when someone turned off the "lights". It just goes to show how important correct labeling and equipment is. Bob

--

-- Coffee worth staying up for - NY Times

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Don't think you'll get it any cheaper if you pump it yourself. The self serve is a rip off. I work in MA. Each town decides if its citizens are capable of pumping their own gas. The full serve is the same price as the self serve in the next town. No reason to freeze my ass off.

[Goedjn]

I think the rule for the emergency shutoff is that it has to be easily accessible, not that it has to be far from the furnace. Mine is mounted on a 3' hunk of conduit bolted to the furnace itself, but that's because the furnace is in the livingroom.

[Jim Yanik]

"The Other Funk" wrote in news:mSovh.4766$yB5.4393@trndny03:

Wayne H. and Joe V. were friends of mine. Did you know them? They were the last two techs at Woodbridge up to the final closing of all the Field Offices except for DCFO.(in 1999)

[Jim Yanik]

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:8lpvh.20004$Mx4.7551@trndny07:

It's ironic that the Nation's birthplace is now a socialist hell.

[Jim Yanik]

Goedjn wrote in news: [e-mail]:

that must be a lovely sight..... ;-}