Cable routing into panel board

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mhamilton85

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NC
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Electrical Engineer
I am looking for recommendations on how best to route a new circuit into an outside breaker panel. Photos below. What the original builder did in 1996 (for whatever reason) was put a large outdoor panel just for the high load circuits, and then a 100A sub panel inside the house for lighting and outlet loads. I'm looking to add a 50A circuit for a NEMA 6-50 receptacle in the garage using a 6/2 NM cable. Here is the issue:

The original conduit feeding the crawlspace is full, I can't add the new 6/2 through that opening. My plan was to punch out the other rear conduit knockout on the left lower side of the panel, using a 1" or 1.5" diameter, but from my measurements it will be running into a floor joist.

There are plenty of knockouts in the bottom of the panel, but I'd be below the sill plate and to make that option work either have to drill through the brick (least favorite option), or make a 270 degree turn and then back into the crawlspace through the rim joist. As you can see the area around the panel is cluttered with telco, cable, and the service entrance.

Do I just drill my own hole through the backplate toward the bottom center? Or overdrill the LH internal knockout slightly to the right? Or is there a better option altogether?

Thanks for any advice,
-Michael

outside-panel.jpg


panel-knockout.jpg


joist.jpg
 
Use the KO with the red circle in photo #2. If it doesn't clear the joist then punch a new hole.

Welcome to the Forum. :)
 
infinity said:
Use the KO with the red circle in photo #2. If it doesn't clear the joist then punch a new hole.

Welcome to the Forum. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks!

My original plan was to use that KO until I found the joist in the way. To punch a new KO, is a step drill a good option? I don't want to pull the panel from the wall to get a punch in there. My thought was to use a step drill to make a 1" hole in the panel from the outside, then use a long 3/16" drill to make a center hole into the crawlspace, then use a larger 2" hole saw from the crawlspace to cut the rim joist and siding. Any foreseeable issues doing that?
 
mhamilton85 said:
Thanks!

My original plan was to use that KO until I found the joist in the way. To punch a new KO, is a step drill a good option? I don't want to pull the panel from the wall to get a punch in there. My thought was to use a step drill to make a 1" hole in the panel from the outside, then use a long 3/16" drill to make a center hole into the crawlspace, then use a larger 2" hole saw from the crawlspace to cut the rim joist and siding. Any foreseeable issues doing that?
Click to expand...
I would drill a 1/4" hole directly through the panel enclosure and then through the wood. Use a hole saw on the inside remove the wood and then use the step bit from the outside. You don't want to drill the wood with the step bit.
 
I would pry out the lower-left KO and then drill at an angle to whichever side hits less of the joist end.
 
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