Length of conductors in c/b panel

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Fmkehoe

Senior Member
Location
Cornwall ny USA
Occupation
Inspector
I’ve seen, and done, conductors coming into the circuit breaker panel, looping down to the bottom, then coming up again and into the breaker. And I’ve seen conductors coming in and after a 90° turn, go right into the breaker.
Does the NEC say anything about the length of conductors in the panel?
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
The NEC is silent on this issue as it should be. I'm from the school of no big loops of slack in the panel.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Agreed, but the wires shouldn't be straight and taut. A full panel should almost appear empty:

DSC00850.jpg DSC00852.jpg
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
Nice work Larry. I know that beauty is in the eye of the beholder but those big Mickey Mouse ears that I've seen in panels are ugly.
 

romex jockey

Senior Member
Location
Vermont
Occupation
electrician
312.89A)
(1) The total of all conductors installed at any cross section
the wiring space does not exceed 40 percent of the
sectional area of that space.
(2) The total area of all conductors, splices, and taps installed
at any cross section of the wiring space does not exceed
75 percent of the cross-sectional area of that space.

~RJ~
 

Adamjamma

Senior Member
I'm from the school of leaving slack. You'll thank me if you have to move things around or change out the panel.

-Hal
a little slack is ok but too much is ugly... I was taught every wire should reach to the top or bottom of the panel on the side it is fed from, in case you need to move the breaker, but you should not be crossing form one side of panel to the other... will need to read the newer codes to see if my boss was wrong thirty years ago
 

romex jockey

Senior Member
Location
Vermont
Occupation
electrician
i use a lot of troffers for neatness>

GMSpoDc.jpg
 

Fmkehoe

Senior Member
Location
Cornwall ny USA
Occupation
Inspector
I'm from the school of leaving slack. You'll thank me if you have to move things around or change out the panel.

-Hal
While the previous posts do make sense, and do look better, I also am thinking about when panels have to be changed out. For instance, a lot, and I mean ALOT of houses in my area have the original 60 amp panels.
 

RichB

Senior Member
Location
Tacoma, Wa
Occupation
Electrician/Electrical Inspector
a little slack is ok but too much is ugly... I was taught every wire should reach to the top or bottom of the panel on the side it is fed from, in case you need to move the breaker, but you should not be crossing form one side of panel to the other... will need to read the newer codes to see if my boss was wrong thirty years ago

This is how I was taught also say come in from the top then down to bottom and back to breaker then lace it all nice like Larry's! and yes I was taught lacing not zip ties
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
I leave a little slack, but not miles of it. I typically leave 4-5 inches extra. Otherwise it starts to look like a pot of cooked spaghetti.
 

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I'm from the school of leaving slack. You'll thank me if you have to move things around or change out the panel.

-Hal
I'm with you on this. You can still make a panel look neat with extra lengths on wiring. On the other hand, if you know you're going to fill up the panel - shorter wires are the way to go.

Somebody should post a poll on this.;)
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
Here's what we like to see for a panel shape in. This was done by a co-worker no extra slack required or needed. (Yes the neutral lug is missing) ;)
Panel Shape In.jpg
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
This is how I was taught also say come in from the top then down to bottom and back to breaker then lace it all nice like Larry's! and yes I was taught lacing not zip ties
I should say thank you, too, as there is zero lacing or tying in my panels. I do land all of the EGC's first, then the neutrals, then the hots last.

I prefer stacking the 2-poles on one side, and the 1-poles on the other. That eliminates high currents on stabs, and looks more "logical" to me.
 

adnj

Member
Location
US
Looks good. I have also spoken to a few inspectors that prefer the loops so that a breaker can be moved. These installations were in Caribbean concrete block structures with cables coming in from four (yes, four) sides.

Sent from my LG-V520 using Tapatalk
 
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