Disconnects
Shop a complete range of disconnect switches from RSP Supply, including fusible, non-fusible, and safety disconnects. Disconnects are essential for electrical safety, allowing operators to completely isolate circuits during maintenance or emergencies without contact with energized parts.
Fusible disconnects combine power isolation and overcurrent protection through integrated fuses, while non-fusible disconnects simply provide manual circuit disconnection when a separate protection device is already in use. Heavy-duty safety and interlock disconnects offer additional layers of control by ensuring that only authorized and properly trained personnel can access powered machinery.
These devices are widely used across industrial, commercial, and manufacturing environments to ensure safe operation and compliance with electrical safety standards. Whether you need a basic switch or a heavy-duty interlock disconnect, RSP Supply provides reliable, code-compliant solutions for every application.
FAQs
1. What is the main purpose of a disconnect switch?
A disconnect switch isolates electrical equipment from its power source, making it safe for maintenance, repairs, or inspections. It allows manual interruption of power without exposure to live components.
2. What’s the difference between fusible and non-fusible disconnects?
A fusible disconnect includes fuses that provide overcurrent protection in addition to power isolation. A non-fusible disconnect only cuts power manually and does not include built-in protection.
3. Where are safety disconnects typically used?
Safety disconnects, also known as interlock switches, are used in industrial environments, manufacturing facilities, and commercial kitchens. They prevent power from being restored until access doors or panels are safely closed.
4. Can disconnects be locked in the “off” position?
Yes. Many disconnects are designed with lockout/tagout capability, allowing maintenance personnel to secure the switch in the off position and prevent accidental re-energization.
5. Do I need both a disconnect switch and circuit protection?
In most systems, yes. Disconnects provide manual power isolation, while circuit protection devices (like fuses or breakers) automatically trip during overcurrent or surge events. Using both ensures full electrical safety and compliance.
Disconnects
Disconnects are intended to remove and restore power from any electrical equipment that is downstream of that disconnect. In most cases, this is a manual operation and is actuated only when power needs to be removed or restored to a particular circuit. Disconnects do not typically provide any type of state monitoring ability nor do they offer any type of circuit protection, they are simply used to remove and restore power. It is common to see electrical disconnects used in situations where larger amounts of voltage are present. External disconnects function by allowing the operation of switching power to be performed outside of an electrical enclosure. It is also common to see disconnects require power to be shut off before the enclosure can be opened. This type of disconnect is found on circuits with high voltage potentials and allows for much safer operation when the electrical equipment inside the enclosure needs to be accessed.
Circuit Protection
Circuit protection devices, such as circuit breakers and fuses, function differently from disconnects in that they have the ability to disconnect power to any devices downstream from their location by monitoring current and power surge events. They are not designed to operate as a switch. When using fuses, if an overcurrent event or surge occurs, they will need to be replaced as they are only intended to be used once. Circuit breakers can be reset, but are not intended to switch power on and off as their main function. In many cases it is necessary to have both an electrical disconnect and a circuit protection device to ensure that any hardware on the circuit does not become damaged because of overcurrent or power surges.