Circuits entering from bottom on my panel

[mstrlucky74]

All the circuits for my house panel come in from the bottom. Is it against code to have them enter from top & bottom? Thanks

 

[texie]

All the circuits for my house panel come in from the bottom. Is it against code to have them enter from top & bottom? Thanks

Knock yourself out. It's not a code issue.
Where have you been? Have not heard from you in a while.

 

[mstrlucky74]

Knock yourself out. It's not a code issue.
Where have you been? Have not heard from you in a while.

I have been soooo busy working on my house and doing change orders at work. How have you been?

 

[infinity]

Bottom, top, back, side, take your pick.

 

[kwired]

Bottom, top, back, side, take your pick.

Just not the front in most cases

I really hate having a panel with cables entering the sides, it usually turns into a lot of congestion as you have everything entering in the same general vicinity as where it is terminating. Entering the top or bottom usually makes for easier routing and tracing of conductors JMO.

 

[mstrlucky74]

Thanks all

 

[texie]

Thanks all

We're all coming over for final inspection. Are you feeding us?

 

[Ponchik]

Bottom, top, back, side, take your pick.

If the cabinet has KOs on the top, side and bottom but not on the back and If I punch a knock out on the back have I violated the listing of the cabinet?

 

[kwired]

If the cabinet has KOs on the top, side and bottom but not on the back and If I punch a knock out on the back have I violated the listing of the cabinet?

I sure hope not. Not having proper wire bending space could be a violation related to punching your own hole, but punching the hole is not a violation, just the bending space for the installed conductors is.

 

[infinity]

If the cabinet has KOs on the top, side and bottom but not on the back and If I punch a knock out on the back have I violated the listing of the cabinet?

You can punch or drill your own KO's. We usually install panel enclosures without any factory KO's.

 

[kwired]

You can punch or drill your own KO's. We usually install panel enclosures without any factory KO's.

Which is more common to see in commercial 20" wide or wider panelboards where you order the panelboard and cabinet as separate items. The all in one "loadcenters" usually don't give you much choice for KO's, as they only make one model of cabinet for any given panelboard, other than maybe NEMA 1 and NEMA 3R choices for the same panelboard.

 

[templdl]

I sure hope not. Not having proper wire bending space could be a violation related to punching your own hole, but punching the hole is not a violation, just the bending space for the installed conductors is.

With residential stuff where wire enters and exits a load center is not an issue as it may be with industrial/commercial panel boards where the weight of the cable can be a big issue for the breaker terminals. Often times cable which enters and exits from the bottom on the enclosure can put stress on the breaker terminals. The cables need to be supported in these cases.

 

[kwired]

With residential stuff where wire enters and exits a load center is not an issue as it may be with industrial/commercial panel boards where the weight of the cable can be a big issue for the breaker terminals. Often times cable which enters and exits from the bottom on the enclosure can put stress on the breaker terminals. The cables need to be supported in these cases.

If it is a primarily vertical run, yes this is a problem. There are methods to deal with that problem.

 

[templdl]

If it is a primarily vertical run, yes this is a problem. There are methods to deal with that problem.

Yes, commonly cable is laced and third to the enclosure itself to support the cable. When it comes to the 250, 300, 350, 500 MCM sizes that's some serious weight. Even the smaller sizes should be considered. A 1-1/2' piece of 500MCM kept within reach underneath of the seat of the truck can get someone's attention.