Panel behind a fridge, accessible???

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Buck Parrish

Senior Member
Location
NC & IN
I have to replace a panel behind a fridge. HO wants to leave it in the same spot. The fridge has wheels. Is this code compliant?
This would make a good poll thread.
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
I have to replace a panel behind a fridge. HO wants to leave it in the same spot. The fridge has wheels. Is this code compliant?
This would make a good poll thread.

Is this a service or a sub-panel?

If the panel houses the service disconnecting means, it has to be not just accessible, but readily accessible and that means not have to move or climb over anything to access it.
 
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jumper

Senior Member
240.24 Location in or on Premises.
(A) Accessibility. Overcurrent devices shall be readily accessible....


Accessible, Readily (Readily Accessible). Capable of being
reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspections
without requiring those to whom ready access is requisite
to climb over or remove obstacles or to resort to portable
ladders, and so forth.
 

Strathead

Senior Member
Location
Ocala, Florida, USA
Occupation
Electrician/Estimator/Project Manager/Superintendent
It's a sub panel
That doesn't matter.

Code world it is not acceptable. end of story.

Real world. As long as the home owner relocates the refrigerator, and the panel has 30" wide by 36" deep cleareance it is legal. What he does after you leave is his problem not yours or the inspector's.
 

K8MHZ

Senior Member
Location
Michigan. It's a beautiful peninsula, I've looked
Occupation
Electrician
240.24 Location in or on Premises.
(A) Accessibility. Overcurrent devices shall be readily accessible....


Accessible, Readily (Readily Accessible). Capable of being
reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspections
without requiring those to whom ready access is requisite
to climb over or remove obstacles or to resort to portable
ladders, and so forth.

I was just going to add that.....
 

Strife

Senior Member
Thanks, common sense tells MOST of us, that's not a good place for it

It does seem that was common practice 40 years ago or so(put the panel behind the fridge).
Been doing a lot of remodels lately of 40-60 YO houses and it seems the place of choice was either on the side of the fridge or on the side of the oven.
 

hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
A friend of mine wired his own house about 6 years ago, and he put the panel behind the washer in the laundry room, I told him the inspector would probably turn him down on the location, but the inspector said it was fine. I thought the NC inspectors were a little tougher than that, but apparently I was wrong.
 

jumper

Senior Member
A friend of mine wired his own house about 6 years ago, and he put the panel behind the washer in the laundry room, I told him the inspector would probably turn him down on the location, but the inspector said it was fine. I thought the NC inspectors were a little tougher than that, but apparently I was wrong.

Quite common, my panel in my house was that way, but i fixed it- moved washer aside and parked freezer there instead.:angel:

110.26 applies to resi?:cool::D
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
Quite common, my panel in my house was that way, but i fixed it- moved washer aside and parked freezer there instead.:angel:
Have you no shame?:roll:

110.26 applies to resi?:cool::D
Only for about two months after the house is finished. Then the residents settle in and add shelves, appliances, walls, etc.. One thing that cracks me up about this is the number of home inspectors that flag goofy things but pass on work space.
 

jumper

Senior Member
Have you no shame?:roll:

Er, nope:)

Only for about two months after the house is finished. Then the residents settle in and add shelves, appliances, walls, etc.. One thing that cracks me up about this is the number of home inspectors that flag goofy things but pass on work space.


You like the one that did mine and wrote up a double tap on a breaker, but missed straight USE triplex-old stuff-not dual rated- under the house, a pile of NM through a 2" knockout-no connector or bushing( not that either is legal), and half a dozen flying splices.:(
 
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iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
I have to replace a panel behind a fridge. HO wants to leave it in the same spot. The fridge has wheels. Is this code compliant?
This would make a good poll thread.

Without a doubt a 110.26 violation for workspace, but perhaps you have local rules allowing existing conditions to remain.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Cut an access door in back of refrigerator - should be fine then:cool:

If you have a refrigerator full of beer you have to drink most of it before you can access the panel, better hope the breaker for the fridge is not what you need to get to or beer may not be cold.
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
I have to replace a panel behind a fridge. HO wants to leave it in the same spot. The fridge has wheels. Is this code compliant?
This would make a good poll thread.

Had to think about this one. It would depend a lot on why the panel is being replaced.

If this is a straight up replacement or repair job then it could be acceptable ( as an existing condition ). I have replaced some panels in laundry rooms at apartments and the washer is right in front of the panel but there is no other option and it's just considered a repair.

On the other hand if this panel replacement is part of a kitchen remodel then I think everything would have to be brought up to code.
 
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