30" wide clearance

[jabski1976]

In order to share the 30" wide area in front of more then one box is it rquired that all boxes be the same depth off the wall. Like if you had a box on the wall and it was 15" wide and 6" deep and one was 15" wide but 8" deep could they share in the 30 " area. Or would both boxes require 30"

 

[augie47]

The 30" would suffcie for both as long as the difference in depth was not greater than 6".
This is covered in 110.26(A)(3)

Welcome to the Forum.

 

[qcroanoke]

The 30" would suffcie for both as long as the difference in depth was not greater than 6".
This is covered in 110.26(A)(3)

Welcome to the Forum.

Gus, does that apply to side by side?
I thought the 6 inches was above or below equipment.
We are on 08 so it may have changed or I'm looking at it wrong. Which is a real good possibility......

 

[augie47]

Wow ! This has been week for me to take remedial reading again.
You are correct.
The 6" rule is above or below.

It would make me think that his panel of lesser depth would need the 30" space. If no maximum difference in depth is given, and you don't require the 30" you could "bury" a 14" wide loadcenter between two 48" deep switchgear sections.

Be interesting to see what others say. I have mistalenly been enforcing the 6" allowance on the sides also

 

[infinity]

The 6" exception is only for above or below the equipment and only for the height requirement not the width requirement.

 

[augie47]

Rob, Does that mean in the OP's case, the 6" deep panel would need a 30" wide clear space; ie: if it was mounted in a corner, the 8" wide cabinet would have to be a least 30" from the side wall ?

 

[infinity]

Rob, Does that mean in the OP's case, the 6" deep panel would need a 30" wide clear space; ie: if it was mounted in a corner, the 8" wide cabinet would have to be a least 30" from the side wall ?

That's the way I read it. If you had two panels less than 30" wide and of different depths they would need to be installed so that the panel front edges are even with each other or so that each panel had 30" of width in front of it.

Example, if you had a 40" space with two 20" wide panels of unequal depth (one 4" the other 6") and side by side, they would need to be mounted with their fronts edges aligned. However with the 2" difference in depth they could be mounted one above the other without front edge alignment. Rather silly to me.

 

[qcroanoke]

That's the way I read it. If you had two panels less than 30" wide and of different depths they would need to be installed so that the panel front edges are even with each other or so that each panel had 30" of width in front of it.

Example, if you had a 40" space with two 20" wide panels of unequal depth (one 4" the other 6") and side by side, they would need to be mounted with their fronts edges aligned. However with the 2" difference in depth they could be mounted one above the other without front edge alignment. Rather silly to me.

We have done exactly as you describe for years. We are so limited on space in our shelters that clearances are a huge problem for us. We have drawings of stand-off brackets of different depths just so we can have the fronts of equipment flush with each other.
And the 36 inch clearance in front of it really is a problem. Especially when we tell our customer "sorry, we can't put that row of equipment 24" from the loadcenter. It has to have 36 inches.
We have even told them what you do with it after you take posession we can't control, so maybe you should install your racks yourself.