Breaker height

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rich000

Senior Member
I have been noticing lately that some of the switchboard manufacturers have their breakers mounted so that the operating switches are juct at 6'6". Once these go on a housekeeping pad, they are typically at 6'10". I have yet to see an inspector hit this, so I was wondering if it is an NEC violation.


240.24 Location in or on Premises
(A) Accessibility
Overcurrent devices shall be readily accessible and shall be installed so that the center of the grip of the operating handle of the switch or circuit breaker, when in its highest position, is not more than 2.0 m (6 ft 7 in.) above the floor or working platform unless one of the following applies:
(1) For busways, as provided in 368.12.
(2) For supplementary overcurrent protection, as described in 240.10.
(3) For overcurrent devices, as described in 225.40 and 230.92.
(4) For overcurrent devices adjacent to utilization equipment that they supply, access shall be permitted to be by portable means.
 
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jim dungar

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Location
Wisconsin
Occupation
PE (Retired) - Power Systems
rich000 said:
I have been noticing lately that some of the switchboard manufacturers have their breakers mounted so that the operating switches are juct at 6'6". Once these go on a housekeeping pad, they are typically at 6'10". I have yet to see an inspector hit this, so I was wondering if it is an NEC violation.
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The violation is the housekeeping pad, not the construction of a UL Listed switchboard.
 
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PEDRO ESCOVILLA

Senior Member
Location
south texas
the violation isn't the housekeeping pad if the installing electrician is checking his shop drawings first. the pad could be made larger on the side of the equipment where the breaker is so it all meets the prescribed requirements
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
PEDRO ESCOVILLA said:
the violation isn't the housekeeping pad if the installing electrician is checking his shop drawings first. the pad could be made larger on the side of the equipment where the breaker is so it all meets the prescribed requirements
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True, but also defeats purpose of the housekeeping pad doesn't it? If gear already has minimum or near minimum clearance in front of it that means no housekeeping pad period, it is now the floor.
 
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jim dungar

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Location
Wisconsin
Occupation
PE (Retired) - Power Systems
It can be argued that any housekeeping pad that is physically larger than the equipment but smaller than the width and depth of the required working clearances is a violation regardless the height of the overcurrent protective device.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
jim dungar said:
It can be argued that any housekeeping pad that is physically larger than the equipment but smaller than the width and depth of the required working clearances is a violation regardless the height of the overcurrent protective device.
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That is correct.
 
iwire

iwire

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Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
kwired said:
If not same size as gear it may not. How much/how often is water spilled in a dedicated electrical room, unless maybe the electricians take their breaks in there?
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In my personal opinion you are being pretty silly just to find a reason it will not help.

If you don't think it can help keep water out from under the gear that is fine, I happen to believe it will.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
iwire said:
In my personal opinion you are being pretty silly just to find a reason it will not help.

If you don't think it can help keep water out from under the gear that is fine, I happen to believe it will.
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Sloping the floor away from the gear also will help keep water from getting underneath. I still want to know where the water is coming from. Small quantities will dry rather quickly if they should be there. If it is normal for water to be present maybe the gear needs to be NEMA 3R minimum.
 
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