gotmud
Senior Member
- Location
- some place cold
Any of you heard of a service not being passed by inspector in a residential garage because the garage door track is in the working space? (panel is mounted flush in side wall)
garage door clearance
- Thread starter gotmud
- Start date
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gotmud
Senior Member
- Location
- some place cold
??? the 150 amp panel is flush in the side wall of the garage 5 ft back from the front (garage door side) of the garage so natually the garage door (when up) and railing will be in the working space but is this really a code violation? Really???
Jim W in Tampa
Senior Member
- Location
- Tampa Florida
That inspector is acting crazy but he could site 110.26 for the height
gotmud
Senior Member
- Location
- some place cold
It would be your working space 30" wide by 36" in front of panel, floor to structural ceiling..
Is the garage door a standard 7'0" (bottom header) height? If lower, the inspector may have good reason from what is described. rbj
resistance
Senior Member
- Location
- WA
I don't see a good reason for the call.
Take a picture of your install, maybe we aren't getting the full picture. Yet, from what I'm reading, your install is typical--if you installed the panel in the garage near the front of the house. I'm sure over 90% of newer homes are done this way. Yet, a picture will give us more of the story.
Take a picture of your install, maybe we aren't getting the full picture. Yet, from what I'm reading, your install is typical--if you installed the panel in the garage near the front of the house. I'm sure over 90% of newer homes are done this way. Yet, a picture will give us more of the story.
Are you saying 1) the garage door when up and/or track are less than 36" from the sidewall and 2) both are less than 6 1/2 feet above the floor?
If yes, it is a violation of 1) 110.26(A)(1) and 2) 110.26(E) by way 110.26(A)(3).
...floor to 6 1/2 feet or the top of the equipment, whichever is higher. See 110.26(E), as referenced in 110.26(A)(3).
You are probably thinking dedicated equipment space, which in this case is likely a stud bay since the panel is flush mount.
gotmud
Senior Member
- Location
- some place cold
yes on #1 and no on #2.....our city ordinance added 2ft to the 6 1/2ft code requirement so the door, even though a 7ft er, runs across the working space...I can't believe this!!!! I have all the sevices installed on a 6-plex and got sited for this..The only way to fix this is start all over and add disconnects and move panels to back wall of garage...OMG!
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
I still don't understand the situation. What happens when the garage door is closed? Is the track lower than 6'6"? Is the garage door now opposite the panel, and within 36 inches of the front face? I need a sketch. But I will say that if you have clearance with the door closed, and you lose the clearance with the door open, then that is not, Not, NOT a violation.
ItsHot
Senior Member
- Location
- A little piece of heaven!
Those 70+ circuit panels will add a new curve to this sitiuation!
r_merc
Senior Member
- Location
- North Carolina
yes on #1 and no on #2.....our city ordinance added 2ft to the 6 1/2ft code requirement so the door, even though a 7ft er, runs across the working space...I can't believe this!!!! I have all the sevices installed on a 6-plex and got sited for this..The only way to fix this is start all over and add disconnects and move panels to back wall of garage...OMG!
Well that's a fine "how do ya doin" So they made a local amendment to change the working space requirement to 8 1/2'. Did they tell you of this when you pulled the permit?
jaylectricity
Senior Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Occupation
- licensed journeyman electrician
Did they see where you were pulling your homeruns when they did the rough inspection? It's irritating when inspectors are more thorough on the finish than they were on the rough.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
There wasn't a garage door there at rough.
gotmud
Senior Member
- Location
- some place cold
OK so here it goes... I've got a 1 stall garage. Standing in the driveway looking into the garage with the big garage door open I put a panel on the side wall in the garage 6ft back from the front (front being the garage door opening side). Now if you walk in and stand facing the panel and look up, the garage door rail is above my head 7' off the floor and 2' out from the front of my panel. My city ordenence extended the 6'6" or to top of service gear code to 8'6" on new constuction. So that garage rail is realistically in the working space...(garage door open or not)...I just wanted to know if any of you had heard of this....It pretty much eliminates putting a panel in a garage on a side wall unless you go back farther than the garage door rail extends.. I'm pretty much just venting my frustration on some of the silly things inspectors come up with..Really?? a garage door rail? Really??
jaylectricity
Senior Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Occupation
- licensed journeyman electrician
How high is the ceiling/rafters/trusses? In other words, can the track be raised to 8 1/2 feet?
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
Cool, then it's not our problem.
My point is, don't blame the inspector because he missed it at rough, that just means that you both missed it and you should know the job far better than he does.
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