100A Panelboard in Janitor's Closet

[Paul the BIG Finn]

An electrical inspector tells me we can't mount an electrical panel in a janitor's closet. I can't find any thing in the NEC that forbids this. We do have the NEC required clearances in front of and above the panelboard.

Am I missing something?

 

[iwire]

An electrical inspector tells me we can't mount an electrical panel in a janitor's closet. I can't find any thing in the NEC that forbids this. We do have the NEC required clearances in front of and above the panelboard.

Am I missing something?

As long as the 110.26 clearances are in place the NEC allows it.

Sounds more like the inspector does not like panels in those rooms.

 

[kwired]

If the "janitor closet" is just barely big enough to comply with 110.26 clearances I guess one could argue this closet is all dedicated space and can not be used to store anything.

But we all know as soon as inspector is gone it will get used for storage anyway.:happyyes:

 

[augie47]

I've accepted such installs but with the wording of 240.24(D): [FONT=&quot] (D) Not in Vicinity of Easily Ignitible Material.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Overcurrent devices shall not be located in the vicinity of easily ignitible material, such as in clothes closets[/FONT]
(D) Not in Vicinity of Easily Ignitible Material.
Overcur-
rent devices shall not be located in the vicinity of easily
it leaves some discretion to the inspecting agency.
If you have an alternate location, you might be fighting a losing battle.

 

[iwire]

That is such a BS code section as almost all areas allow panels in garages, sheds, workshops etc. All areas that will contain 'easily ignitable materials'.

 

[jxofaltrds]

If the "janitor closet" is just barely big enough to comply with 110.26 clearances I guess one could argue this closet is all dedicated space and can not be used to store anything.

But we all know as soon as inspector is gone it will get used for storage anyway.:happyyes:

Made me think of:

http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=164585

 

[augie47]

Made me think of:

http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=164585

yep Some janitors carts would provide McGiver with enough materials to bring down a 10 story building.

 

[ggunn]

If the "janitor closet" is just barely big enough to comply with 110.26 clearances I guess one could argue this closet is all dedicated space and can not be used to store anything.

But we all know as soon as inspector is gone it will get used for storage anyway.:happyyes:

I used to work for a company that installed EMS (Energy Management Systems) in businesses' service panels. One of their clients was a well known restaurant chain, and in their establishments the custodial room with sink, mops, and related stuff was also the electrical room. At a couple of these sites we had to spend an hour or so hauling out boxes of supplies, old light fixtures, broken furniture, etc. before we could get to the panels. Junk was often leaning against the panel fronts and stacked taller than we were. There was enough room for one person to stand in front of the sink but the rest of the room was packed solid. Goodness knows how long it would take them to reset a tripped breaker.

 

[acrwc10]

I guess you need to ask, "is the janitor storing his cloths in there?"

 

[lakee911]

An electrical inspector tells me we can't mount an electrical panel in a janitor's closet. I can't find any thing in the NEC that forbids this. We do have the NEC required clearances in front of and above the panelboard.

Am I missing something?

Maybe he just has no confidence in your ability to actually mount the panel in that location. :lol:

Did you ask him why you could not? So many people come here and say, "Inspector said I can't do _____. Why not?" I say just ask him!

 

[ASG]

Maybe he just has no confidence in your ability to actually mount the panel in that location. :lol:

Did you ask him why you could not? So many people come here and say, "Inspector said I can't do _____. Why not?" I say just ask him!

Not always an option. Last week I literally had a fire department inspector yell at me that "I don't need to provide code references!" I don't know if electrical inspectors everywhere are required to site code for their violations and it's just the FD that can do that for fire alarm but basically I was told by everybody else that the inspector is god and we should just do what he says.

 

[kwired]

Not always an option. Last week I literally had a fire department inspector yell at me that "I don't need to provide code references!" I don't know if electrical inspectors everywhere are required to site code for their violations and it's just the FD that can do that for fire alarm but basically I was told by everybody else that the inspector is god and we should just do what he says.

Sometimes you get an inspector that thinks he has that kind of authority, and gets away with it most of the time because people he pushes around like that don't know any better, or they are just wanting to make him happy to get the job done faster or something like that. Reality is he should have a published standard to go by, and when questioned he needs to be able to reference that standard. It may be poor practice for him to just say something is in that standard, but should someone challenge him that does know the standard he better know it as well. If he abuses his "power" too much eventually the right person or group of people will find a way to bring him down. If he doesn't abuse his "power" he is still human and can make mistakes, and is willing to take a hit once in a while to learn, that guy gets much more respect from those he inspects for.

 

[lakee911]

Sometimes you get an inspector that thinks he has that kind of authority, and gets away with it most of the time because people he pushes around like that don't know any better, or they are just wanting to make him happy to get the job done faster or something like that. Reality is he should have a published standard to go by, and when questioned he needs to be able to reference that standard. It may be poor practice for him to just say something is in that standard, but should someone challenge him that does know the standard he better know it as well. If he abuses his "power" too much eventually the right person or group of people will find a way to bring him down. If he doesn't abuse his "power" he is still human and can make mistakes, and is willing to take a hit once in a while to learn, that guy gets much more respect from those he inspects for.

Well said. I'll also add that sometimes its necessary to go to inspector's boss to get resolution/response although that can make subsequent inspections more difficult...

 

[kwired]

Well said. I'll also add that sometimes its necessary to go to inspector's boss to get resolution/response although that can make subsequent inspections more difficult...

If the guy is truly being ridiculous, you need to get other installers on your side, you will either change his attitude or get him removed from his position. If the guy is reasonable you probably don't need to go over his head to convince him he may be doing something wrong.