- Location
- Massachusetts
Is drainage pipe allowed right over a panel?
- Thread starter lunalilo
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Here's another graphic from Mike Holt
Jim W in Tampa
Senior Member
- Location
- Tampa Florida
Why ? Will some water over head help ?I think my brain just exploded.
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
Keep in mind that there is a difference between "dedicated space" and "working clearance." You are talking about the former item. The space directly above and below the panel (i.e., the footprint) is dedicated to the installation of conduits. That is why they don't want "foreign" systems in that area. In this context, "foreign" means "not electrical, and not related to the electrical installation."
The 6 feet magic number begins at the top of the panel. You want to be able to add conduits later, so the first six feet above the panel can't have anything "foreign" in the way. Higher than that, they figure you will have bent the conduits off in some other direction, so it's OK to put pipes and ducts up that high. Just put a drip shield below the pipes or ducts.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
OP does not mention if his install is indoor or outdoor.
Outdoors Panel will likely be at least 3R, could also be any type with a 4 or 6 or a combination of 3,4,6 plus 12 or 13.
So this does indeed, including the graphic, answer my question right?
You cannot have ducting or piping or supply lines directly overhead of a panel, up to 6 feet. If this is true, most housing having 2 stories and a panel being on the first story, being that it would be around 8 feet high (ceiling) there should be nothing but electrical piping for the full width and length of the equipment upwards of whatever above it (being less the 6 feet) correct?
Volta
Senior Member
- Location
- Columbus, Ohio
Yes, or to the structural ceiling, whichever is lower.
Volta
Senior Member
- Location
- Columbus, Ohio
Personally I think that it would be ok, but I'd like to find out the ending to McClary's story from post #9.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
I have seen inspectors let that pass before if the foreign system was below the panel and in a location such as a basement or a building on a slab where it was not likely to run raceways or cables down through the floor, but it would not be allowed above, and on any of my jobs it would not be there at inspection unless the plumber sneaked it in without my knowledge.
If they encroach my dedicated space at a panel I will tell them that I will work with them on occupying the same space just about anywhere but at the panel, there I have rules to follow and that is my space.
One-eyed Jack
Senior Member
- Location
- Scotland Neck, NC
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
Yes, water on the panel is no where near as serious of an issue as a faulting panel that burns the building down. Sprinkler systems rarely leak and if the area is hot enough to melt the element, the panel is probably already junk.Outside and above so it still gets to spray water on the panel.
Volta
Senior Member
- Location
- Columbus, Ohio
I'm trying to figure out where people think the 'structural ceiling' is.
I would think that it is the bottom of the joists, but if they are exposed, maybe it is the lowest horizontal membrane secured to the supporting joists, which would be the top sometimes.
mcclary's electrical
Senior Member
- Location
- VA
That's what happened. The pipe "showed" up after my rough in was complete. The inspector was really nice, and I personally know he could have made the plumber rework it if he really wanted to. There were 10 ft ceilings in this place, we discussed it, and he decide to let it slide. He viewed it as exactly as Volta described, but the elbow was under the top plate of the wall. It was definately a violation, but he make anybody change anything.
- Status