110.26(A)(B) - Door in Door panels

[netphish]

I have a wide electrical panel that is a "door in door" type with adequate clear working space. The door to access the circuit breakers can fully open, but the door to open the wide dead front won't open to 90 degrees due to obstructions just beyond the required working space. The hinged dead front can be fully removed for access just like a typical unhinged p dead front by removing a few more screws. Question: Does my panel installation comply with Section 110.26(A)(2) of the NEC or will it not qualify because of the design features?
Can I simply tell the inspector I am not "taking credit" for the hinged dead front as a form of access and claim it as a manufacturer's convenience feature? Some help please.
Best Regards, Chris

 

[Gregg Harris]

I have a wide electrical panel that is a "door in door" type with adequate clear working space. The door to access the circuit breakers can fully open, but the door to open the wide dead front won't open to 90 degrees due to obstructions just beyond the required working space. The hinged dead front can be fully removed for access just like a typical unhinged p dead front by removing a few more screws. Question: Does my panel installation comply with Section 110.26(A)(2) of the NEC or will it not qualify because of the design features?
Can I simply tell the inspector I am not "taking credit" for the hinged dead front as a form of access and claim it as a manufacturer's convenience feature? Some help please.
Best Regards, Chris

From your description I would say no it does not comply.

 

[GoldDigger]

The width of the wide door is greater than the depth of the depth of the working space, I assume. That is the only way I can see that an obstruction outside the working space could interfere.
That makes it interesting. It does seem to interfere with panel working access since it can be removed.
But the ever hovering manufacturers instructions may require that clearance.

Tapatalk!

 

[charlie b]

What makes this interesting to me is the wording of the article you cited. It says that in all cases the work space shall permit a 90 degree opening of doors or hinged panels. In this installation, it is not the work space that prevents the 90 degree opening, but rather something beyond the work space. That notwithstanding, I voted for ?non-compliant? because if you open both doors and stand in front of the exposed energized metal parts, one of the doors will be in the way of the room you are required to have available to you.

You might say that you could simply remove both doors, thus eliminating the problem. But I would take a hardline stand against that notion. I equate it to allowing someone to store some boxes in front of a panel. OK, sure, you could move them before you start working on the panel. But that would take time and would be inconvenient, and you only need to do one quick task, so you decide to leave the boxes on the floor (or leave the panel doors on the panel) and reach in to do your task. I take a hardline stand against this because I want to protect the person who either is lazy, or is in a hurry, or doesn?t think it?s a big deal anyway, protect that person from himself or herself.

 

[GoldDigger]

If the OP's description of a "door in door" system means what I think it means, I cannot see a situation where you would "open both doors".
If you open the large door, the small door comes along with it.

Tapatalk!

 

[ActionDave]

110.26 A(2) Width of Working Space.
The width of the working space in front of the electrical equipment shall be the width
of the equipment or 762 mm (30 in.), whichever is greater.
In all cases, the work space shall permit at least a 90 degree
opening of equipment doors or hinged panels.

What I see is "In all cases the work space shall permit 90 degree opening of equipment doors or hinged panels"

I don't see "In all cases the work space shall permit 90 degree opening of equipment doors or hinged panels except for the times when there are two hinged parts of the equipment and the outer hinged part can't open 90 degrees but does have screws that are easy to remove so one could get the required workspace if it was really needed."

With that I vote violation.

 

[kwired]

Is there a violation of working space when in the process of removing the hinged portion?

The biggest problem I see is if someone is working in that panel with the hinged door open, but not opened to full 90deg, they may have increased egress hazards to that work space.