110.26(F)(1)(a) Clearance Quesiton for Low Voltage / Telecom Media Center

[amlorcrd]

I purchased a house where, unfortunately, the coax and twisted pair service cables were pulled in with the power service cables. The phone demark was mounted immediately adjacent to the panelboard (yes, inside the house). In addition, I only have about 3 ft of play with the coax and twisted pair cables.

I'm trying to find a way to clean this mess up as a I look to finish the basement long term. My thought would be to install a 28" or 42" Leviton media enclosure about 12" below the existing panelboard and move the coax and telecom demarks into that clean looking enclosure. Both the panelboard and media center would be flush mounted when the wall is finished.

Working space will be good but I'm stuck on this one code issue about whether these low voltage systems would constitute foreign equipment inside the dedicated electrical space [per 110.26(F)(1)(a) 2008]

If I have to, I can mount the media center adjacent to the panelboard but, in my opinion, it makes for a more ugly installation and takes up some valuable wall space.

The listed Leviton panel instructions don't provide any guidance. Neither does anything in communication articles. Any thoughts?

 

[jumper]

I purchased a house where, unfortunately, the coax and twisted pair service cables were pulled in with the power service cables. The phone demark was mounted immediately adjacent to the panelboard (yes, inside the house). In addition, I only have about 3 ft of play with the coax and twisted pair cables.

I'm trying to find a way to clean this mess up as a I look to finish the basement long term. My thought would be to install a 28" or 42" Leviton media enclosure about 12" below the existing panelboard and move the coax and telecom demarks into that clean looking enclosure. Both the panelboard and media center would be flush mounted when the wall is finished.

Working space will be good but I'm stuck on this one code issue about whether these low voltage systems would constitute foreign equipment inside the dedicated electrical space [per 110.26(F)(1)(a) 2008]

If I have to, I can mount the media center adjacent to the panelboard but, in my opinion, it makes for a more ugly installation and takes up some valuable wall space.

The listed Leviton panel instructions don't provide any guidance. Neither does anything in communication articles. Any thoughts?

Both 725 and 800 installs are covered by the NEC, so I say go for it. I do not consider them foreign systems.