sub panel in attic

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glene77is

Senior Member
Location
Memphis, TN
...the back side of panel will still be in the attic heat
and I dont like that much on my own house .

Jet,
Incorporate a spare refrigerator into the design.
Make a closet, put the refrigerator in, remove it's door.
Voila, Cool the closet, and cool the breaker panel box. :)
 

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
you have to read all the post there is a thing going on with the ambeint temp in the attic and even if the ahj will pass it in unfinished attic. :)

Yes i have read the thread ,if you size your and take into account the ambeint temp there must be a way to insulate around the sub panel witch will come at the home owners expence.:)
 

jetlag

Senior Member
thanks glen

thanks glen

Jet,
Incorporate a spare refrigerator into the design.
Make a closet, put the refrigerator in, remove it's door.
Voila, Cool the closet, and cool the breaker panel box. :)

You get cigar for most original post, might be a good selling point for house , call man to side and tell him if his wife is one you have to hide your beer from because not wants you to drink or one that will drink it all up herself ,, there is a hidden walk in cooler to hide the beer , but dont bother the power box when getting loaded. :)
 

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
A residence has an attic room space with walk in door from the 3 rd floor level . The room meets all the space requirement for a legal habital room , it even has the e gress dormal windows required in bed room. The area will not be finished untill some time in future and is floored but has no wall or ceiling covering. Can a 100 amp sub panel be installed with the room in unfinished state ? the box has required space for with and height. I am trying to figure if I can install the panel and save on lab and mtrl of running home runs to main panel 2 floors down in basemant on opposite end of house

In your first post you metion that the panel is for future use so it will be there not live I/E not in use till it will be finshed so if it not live i don't see a problem

If i is hot then the ambeint temp would come into play,I could be mistaken but if it is installed and not live and under load i cannot thik of a reason why not.
 

jetlag

Senior Member
You get cigar for most original post, might be a good selling point for house , call man to side and tell him if his wife is one you have to hide your beer from because not wants you to drink or one that will drink it all up herself ,, there is a hidden walk in cooler to hide the beer , but dont bother the power box when getting loaded. :)

Will quote my own post. was good for laugh but wont work, the frig condenser coil gives off same amount of heat that is removed by the evaporator coil, plus the heat from compressor will make the room hotter than outside the room . :)
 
Last edited:

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Sorry Dennis. My mistake, you are correct. We had been talking about 100 amp SER cable and you threw me a curve. You can use # 1 alum if you' re installing it in conduit.
I was also saying that #1 SER cable can be used with a 90 amp breakerif the load is 85 amps or less. For 100 amp then you need #1 in conduit. Just want to clarify for others.
 

jetlag

Senior Member
Yes i have read the thread ,if you size your and take into account the ambeint temp there must be a way to insulate around the sub panel witch will come at the home owners expence.:)

Its hard to explain but in my original post I was considering installing a sub panel in attic to save a lot of long home runs for the master bed and bath and the attic space . I got discouraged after reading the post and had 3more ideas either put the sub in master bed . or not use the sub but leave for the future attic space or just stub up some conductors for attic.. I stiil would like to put sub in master bed but cant get any replies about if that hurts the value of the house any way. You see there will be lots of loads involved to run down 2 floors and to other end of basement

5 kw air handler in master suite
hot tub in master suite
bath gfci in master suit
1 20 gen purpose in master suite and attic
1 15 a gen light for attic and master suite
2 counter top 20 a for attic kitchenette in attic (for use by master suite)
I wall oven in attic
 

glene77is

Senior Member
Location
Memphis, TN
... the frig condenser coil gives off same amount of heat that is removed by the evaporator coil, plus the heat from compressor will make the room hotter than outside the room . :)

Jet,
You are right about the conservation of energy,
front to back, on the Refrigerator. :)
I am inclined to some brainstorming to loosen up alternative ideas. :)
Got to admit, it is 'cute' idea !
I like the way you re-applied it to your 'walk-in cooler' image.

I have practiced the top-to-bottom spare circuit wiring,
have sold additional work,
and then have turned right around and made use of my spare circuits.
 

jetlag

Senior Member
Jet,
You are right about the conservation of energy,
front to back, on the Refrigerator. :)
I am inclined to some brainstorming to loosen up alternative ideas. :)
Got to admit, it is 'cute' idea !
I like the way you re-applied it to your 'walk-in cooler' image.

I have practiced the top-to-bottom spare circuit wiring,
have sold additional work,
and then have turned right around and made use of my spare circuits.

the cooler will work if leave frig in attic and with door off seal that against an opening in wall off area to cool . but dont expect to much ,its prob less than 1/4 ton. small walk in closet , maybe
 

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
Its hard to explain but in my original post I was considering installing a sub panel in attic to save a lot of long home runs for the master bed and bath and the attic space . I got discouraged after reading the post and had 3more ideas either put the sub in master bed . or not use the sub but leave for the future attic space or just stub up some conductors for attic.. I stiil would like to put sub in master bed but cant get any replies about if that hurts the value of the house any way. You see there will be lots of loads involved to run down 2 floors and to other end of basement

5 kw air handler in master suite
hot tub in master suite
bath gfci in master suit
1 20 gen purpose in master suite and attic
1 15 a gen light for attic and master suite
2 counter top 20 a for attic kitchenette in attic (for use by master suite)
I wall oven in attic

maybe there is a large closet in the master bed you can install the panel in there as long as it meets 110.26///and that won't reduce tha value of the house:D
 

jetlag

Senior Member
Thanks leo

Thanks leo

maybe there is a large closet in the master bed you can install the panel in there as long as it meets 110.26///and that won't reduce tha value of the house:D

Now that I would love but the closet is a clothing closet and there is a code against that, also it only has 24" walk space down center with hangers in. I could do like the mobile home post on here and say the cloths were not part of the home when I manufactured it lol . The other closet will have the air handler in it , so cant give required clearance .
 

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
Now that I would love but the closet is a clothing closet and there is a code against that, also it only has 24" walk space down center with hangers in. I could do like the mobile home post on here and say the cloths were not part of the home when I manufactured it lol . The other closet will have the air handler in it , so cant give required clearance .

Yes 24" is too small
 

E&I Inspector

New member
Sub panel in attic

Sub panel in attic

A residence has an attic room space with walk in door from the 3 rd floor level . The room meets all the space requirement for a legal habital room , it even has the e gress dormal windows required in bed room. The area will not be finished untill some time in future and is floored but has no wall or ceiling covering. Can a 100 amp sub panel be installed with the room in unfinished state ? the box has required space for with and height. I am trying to figure if I can install the panel and save on lab and mtrl of running home runs to main panel 2 floors down in basemant on opposite end of house

ANS:
I think, it possible to install a sub-panel to unfinished state, but properly secure and protected from ambient temperature. Furthermore branch circuits and Sub panels always comes from main circuits or main panel together with your electrical load calculation.
 

juptonstone

Member
Location
Lady Lake, FL
Derating?

Derating?

I had a customer with a similar situation. He had the attic "Foam" spray insulated and that solved the problem. We installed the subpanel and it passed. No heat problems because of the foamed insulation.
 
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