Panels as J-Boxes

[growler]

I suggested that using old panels as J-boxes could look like cheap hack work. My residential experience is in one area of the country only and about 90% in a four counties. I have done commercial & industrial all over the South East and a couple in the north. Residential is different, things seem to be more locally accepted rather than nationally. My question is. Do most places go for the use of old panels as junction boxes and just run the circuits over from a new panel. I have not seen much of this and to me it looks like a poor practice. If it's done in other areas as a common practice , I apologize in advance.

[roger]

Growler, see this thread of the same name (http://www.mikeholt.com/codeforum/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=007352) for some opinions and views.

Roger

[mdshunk]

The other thread delt with the acceptability of doing so. It was resolved that it is accepted. I have done it myslef, and will continue to do so when needed. I do however agree that it doesn't look the greatest.

[luckyshadow]

I have done this 3 times in my career. Twice on commercial and once in an old house. All three times I had a metal shop make me a new cover for the panels. The commercial jobs I had to move the new service over due to clearance problems and it saved the customers a good bit of money. It looked like a large pull box when I was done.
The house job - the service was being relocated and it was just easier and cheaper to do this. I repainted the old panel and the new cover gray so they matched. I feel it is a case by case thing. If done professionally and neat it turns out OK. If you try to use the old cover and have KO seals all over , rust and peeling paint yeah , then it looks like hack work

[tx2step]

You could always install labeled terminal strips to make it look professional. It wouldn't be any safer, but it would look a lot better.

[GG]

Use a panel as a j-box? Do it all the time. I have 1 friend where I moved his panel 20' down the side of his house so he could do some remodeling. That was 8 years ago and he hasnt had problem 1 with the j-box panel or the new panel. Should I have rewired the entire house just to move a panel 10'? If you dont use the old panel as a J-box then your only other option is to rewire everything, how else are you going to tie into the branch circuits without a j-box? Good luck talking a HO into rewiring their entire house just to move a panel. :D