Quarter turn panel cover clamps?

[LarryFine]

I realize as a contractor dealing with a customer?s equipment, you don?t have that luxury.

No, but, while it's an excellent idea, and worth asking the customer about, the odds are he'll feel that, while it may benefit us, there's really nothing in it for him.

Unless, of course, you're in his panels often enough that there could be a cost savings to him in the long run over future visits. Pterodactyl surcharge, anyone?

 

[Ragin Cajun]

For panelboards, my specs call for double hinged/door-in-door doors. No dropping covers on toes. The main cover is hinged. makes inspection a smap and same for adding later. Much easier and safer during construction, too.

RC

 

[sameguy]

They suck; but only unscrew them to the point of turning.
When puting back on ( two man job) fix all the bent stuff, screw them in to the point where you just have room for the can wall thickness plus about 1/8". when done tell the owner they need to change out all of that kind of panel due to lack of ground buss and the are no longer made with that style cover!!! haha

 

[jmellc]

Someone at a factory had to spend many sleepless nights thinking of ways to come up with such garbage. Drill and tap some holes to 1/4x20 if you are allowed to do so. I like the idea the other guys had of nut & bolt for a shoe also. Or you could fasten a 6 inch piece of small angle bracket on the bottom of the cover.

I've seen very few clamps that work well in the long run. Some of the ones with little indicator notches get obscured if in a dirty, dusty environment, the pieces get bent, seize up, etc. They are worth only their scrap metal value.

 

[charlietuna]

They are a pain, but if they are installed properly, and maintained in proper installation condition -- they work fine and thats why they are approved. You notice new panel covers are shipped with a bag full of screws-washers-springs-etc---AND an instruction sheet. If the installer follows the instructions there is no problem. And the others that follow must maintain them in the same condition. Pinching a conductor can happen in a 1900 box if common sense isn't applied.

 

[yanici]

The college that I worked at had a bazillion of these PITA covers. If we had a particularly troublesome cover we used to drill and tap our own holes to remount the cover. And as icing on the cake, if it was a fairly heavy cover we would tap two holes at the top of the panel and screw a pair of 1/4X20 bolts, installed inside out, to use as pins to hold the cover up while the new bolts were installed.

 

[LarryFine]

They are a pain, but if they are installed properly, and maintained in proper installation condition --

And aren't covered with six coats of paint. :roll:

 

[Article 90.1]

With trusty sharpie at hand I make a neat arrow or two and write "on & off." But I to prefer the 1/4 20 stud method.