Using a panelboard as a raceway

[jap]

I'm not trying to argue this. I agree it is allowed.
I'm just saying that if I can stay away from it I will.

There's never been a time when I've seen feeders or circuits from one Panelboard passing through another when it didnt cross my mind that something better could have been done.

 

[jap]

I am not trying to be smart either but a panel has no such device.

I'm not sure I understand this.

 

[qcroanoke]

If that person is stupid enough not to know what they are doing then they deserve what ever happens. That job should be done by a QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN

Thats is cold.....
I never thought I would see such a post out of you......

 

[jap]

We can not write the code to provide protection for every unqualified person who wants to work on the panel. I do not see this as any kind of a safety issue. It is a design issue only.

That being said, the 2011 code addresses this issue by requiring that the panel have a label showing the location of the disconnect(s) for the circuits that pass through the panel.

This may be just the ticket to keep it from happening in the future. If they know they'll have to label everything that goes through it, they probably will reroute it to begin with so they wont have to mess with it. Thanks Don.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

You dont have to be stupid to accidently cut a wrong wire, and nobody deserves to get hurt.

If you do not know how to check and see if a wire is live or not your not much of an electrician

 

[jap]

I agree.
but that's not what we're discussing.

 

[jap]

All i'm saying is I can understand if wires are short and need to be extended inside the panel to reach thier destinatination.But I'm not a big fan of a Panel feeder for a panel passing through another or circuits from a different panel passing through another if it doesnt have to.With a little foresight a lot of this can be avoided. As far your comment about "if you cant check to see if a wire is hot or not your not much of an elecrician", i agree with that. I've probably been doing this as long as you have and probably have as much experience.
Everyone has there own opinions,this is just mine.

Thanks.

 

[jaylectricity]

I am not trying to be smart either but a panel has no such device.

I'm not sure I understand this.

He's saying that there is no such device that could be installed in a panel that could kill every circuit within the panel. There would still be power coming into the panel through the conductors to the line side of that device.

 

[iwire]

I'm not trying to be smart here,but a pullbox doesnt have a Main Disconnecting Means to deinergize all of the circuits inside of it.

I am not trying to be smart either but a panel has no such device.

I'm not sure I understand this.

What I mean is simple, panels are not required to have a disconnecting means to de-energize all of the circuits inside of it and if a panel happens to have a main breaker that is not it's intended function.

Panels are not even required to have a disconnecting means to de-energize the panel.

 

[jap]

He's saying that there is no such device that could be installed in a panel that could kill every circuit within the panel. There would still be power coming into the panel through the conductors to the line side of that device.

If you have a MLO Panel on the inside and a disconnect for the feeder to this MLO panel outside and You shut it off,what would still be energized inside of this panel?

 

[jap]

never mind I see what your getting at.

 

[John Valdes]

I'm not trying to argue this. I agree it is allowed.
I'm just saying that if I can stay away from it I will.

There's never been a time when I've seen feeders or circuits from one Panelboard passing through another when it didnt cross my mind that something better could have been done.

Sounds like you might not do much service work. I always try to do every job safely and compliantly. But when I have the ability to push a few conductors through a panel and save time, thats what I am going to do.

 

[jap]

And how often do you really have to do that?

 

[jap]

I can think of very few instances where I couldnt go directly from the panel i was coming out of to where I needed to go without having to chase through other panels.