Panel in a pantry?

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mike33

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I have seen the code that says you can't install a panel in a clothes closet. What about in a pantry off the kitchen in a dwelling?

Behind the door?

Also, what if I build a small electrical closet within a large clothes closet?
 
I can't find specific prohibition

I can't find specific prohibition

240.24.D,E&F tell you where you can't have OCPDs, and pantrys aren't listed. And it appears that the primary concern with clothes closets is easily combustible material in the vicinity. So, I'd think you'd be OK for putting it in a pantry, but you also need to bear in mind the working clearances in front of and to the side of the panel.

As to building a room within a closet for the panel, I'll leave that to others to put in their 2 cents worth, but again your 30in.x36in. working clearances means it would have to be a pretty big room-within-the-room.
 
If you build a room inside of a closet you are still inside the closet. Its like going into the office of a grocery store. You are still in a grocery store.
 
Howard Burger said:
240.24.D,E&F tell you where you can't have OCPDs, and pantrys aren't listed. And it appears that the primary concern with clothes closets is easily combustible material in the vicinity. So, I'd think you'd be OK for putting it in a pantry, but you also need to bear in mind the working clearances in front of and to the side of the panel.

As to building a room within a closet for the panel, I'll leave that to others to put in their 2 cents worth, but again your 30in.x36in. working clearances means it would have to be a pretty big room-within-the-room.
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Once the door is opened, you may have the clearance.
 
nosparks1 said:
If you build a room inside of a closet you are still inside the closet. Its like going into the office of a grocery store. You are still in a grocery store.
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If you go into the restroom you are also still in the grocery store. If the grocery store has an electrical room it is still in the grocery store. They are dedicated spaces within the store. Where are you going with this?
 
I think it is acceptable to build a "room" within a clothes closet, and place a panel within that room. The door to this "room" separates the overcurrent devices from the combustible materials. Working clearance might be a bit tricky, but it can be done.
 
As long as it's not a clothes closet and there are no combustables then you should be ok
 
mike33 said:
I have seen the code that says you can't install a panel in a clothes closet. What about in a pantry off the kitchen in a dwelling?
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As long as you have your working space clearance I would say you are OK to have a panel in a pantry.

Behind the door?
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Behind a door is acceptable

Also, what if I build a small electrical closet within a large clothes closet?
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I agree with Charlie on this, as long as the working spaces can be met I would be OK with a closet within the clothes closet.

Chris
 
What I like about this forum is seeing many different views. If a panel was in a bathroom and someone built a cabinet with a door that met the clearance requirements around the panel, would you say the panel is no longer in the bathroom?
 
nosparks1 said:
If a panel was in a bathroom and someone built a cabinet with a door that met the clearance requirements around the panel, would you say the panel is no longer in the bathroom?
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But the OP was not suggesting a cabinet. He was discussing an equipment closet (a seperate room) built within a clothes closet.
 
Howard Burger said:
240.24.D,E&F tell you where you can't have OCPDs, and pantrys aren't listed. And it appears that the primary concern with clothes closets is easily combustible material in the vicinity.
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Who says pantrys aren't listed in 240.24(D)? It's all in the interpretation. the 2008 book says "not in the vicinity of easily ignitable material. Overcurrent devices shall not be located in the vicinity of easily ignited material, such as in clothes closets" Leaves a litlle bit open to interpretation as far as what couuld be stored in a pantry and whether or not it is "easily ignitable". It most certainly excludes clothes closets but the "such as" verbage leaves this one wide open to the AHJ's judgement, IMHO.
 
mike33 said:
I have seen the code that says you can't install a panel in a clothes closet. What about in a pantry off the kitchen in a dwelling?

Behind the door?

Also, what if I build a small electrical closet within a large clothes closet?
Click to expand...

FWIW I agree with those who state is ok to build an electrical closet inside the clothes closet and put the panel there. And I guess as logic flows the same would apply to the bathroom. But it certainly would be up to the AHJ and I don't think I could argue against him if he ruled it non-compliant.
 
a closet is a closet is a closet. It it dosen't have a clothes rod and doesn't say clothes closet on the plans, it's just a closet. Get it? Code says not in clothes closet. Why does this continue to be a problem?
 
nosparks1 said:
If a panel was in a bathroom and someone built a cabinet with a door that met the clearance requirements around the panel, would you say the panel is no longer in the bathroom?
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I have spoken with members of the CMP at our yearly Raleigh meeting, and their feeling was if the panel was in a clothes closet and away from clothing, as behind a door with no storage near it, then it would be perfectly compliant. Now getting an inspector to agree would be a different issue.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
I have spoken with members of the CMP at our yearly Raleigh meeting, and their feeling was if the panel was in a clothes closet and away from clothing, as behind a door with no storage near it, then it would be perfectly compliant. Now getting an inspector to agree would be a different issue.
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I have been in agreement with this for a long time.
It says:
Overcurrent devices shall not be located in the vicinity of easily ignitible material
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Does not say it is prohibited in any particular room. Does not even say anything about how far from the easily ignitable material the overcurrent devices need to be.

If the material is directly in front of the panel you have a 110.26 violation. If you are compliant with 110.26 you really shouldn't have much problem with easily ignitable materials.
 
In most cases the ahj will not agree with this. I had an inspector turn me down for a porcelain in a closet. I reminded him that it was not a clothes closet so I did not need a cover on the bulb- he finally agreed. Sometime logic is good but the problem is everyone's logic is different.

If the NEC removes the clothes closet reference and states something like 3' from combustibles it would alleviate the issue. Perhaps a code change is in order.
 
Problem is it says "such as clothes closets" and does not say anything else. Everyone that reads that gets stuck on clothes closets and overlooks everyting else that could be a problem.

Have you ever removed a cover from a panel in an area where someone does woodworking projects on a regular basis?
 
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