ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Violation Photo Forum AC Unit Installed on Roof Top

I don't think that this work was done by an electrician, and it looks like there may have been no permit secured or the benefit of an inspection here in Boston on North street!

What about the vent here? Anything to discuss concerning the proximity to the unit?

Is that white box the disconnect?. Also,wonder why he left all that flex coiled up?

It is the disconnect, some of the weather-proof enclosures (for this purpose), that I have seen have tiny drain holes in the bottom and are constructed so water will not enter the top, but will drain out the bottom. Laying the enclosure on its side defeats this. Not to mention other code issues. But I don't think the disconnect and flex are the big danger here.

The unit is a heat exchanger, there is no transfer of air into the building. I don't think the proximity of the vents is a problem except possibly the combustion vent could be hot and pose a hazard to the service person.

Could that be a sewer line vent? Stinky...

(Or is that vent part of the HVAC system?Still, it seems too close to the unit.)

[This message has been edited by ThinkGood (edited 11-17-2003).]

There should be a receptacle within 25 feet for maintenence persons to plug in to.

Is the puddle from condensation or from rain? How deep can the water get? Should the unit be raised up on blocks?

The vent loks like the sort used to vent a gas water heater, space heater, etc. As such, it may include an inner sleeve for "out" and an outer sleeve for "fresh air in."

That coiled flex and "Bell" box look to be some design to allow the equipment to be operated fron some distance away. Is there another unit nearby that might work together with this one, and for which a serviceman might want to control from one point?

The elect whips come extra long and coiled up like that. It saves an extra step by not cutting it to length. The disconnect box was probably mounted on the unit at one time but the service person had to remove it to gain access to the controls.

Vent pipe is not a problem.

Obviously the owner doesn't care because there was no permit pulled and the equipment looks like a cheap piece of scratch & dent. A lot of rental apartments are this way and worse. But see the employees of the property managers are exempt from regulation in most states

This unit looks like it was just thrown on the roof. It should sitting atop a structural member that will hold the additional weight.
The Liquidtite, as in any other conduit, can't have >360° of bend between pull points, much less remain coiled.
(We actually know a guy that lives on North Street in Boston I can't imagine him letting this remain in his neighborhood!)...S