Clearance in front of low voltage control panels

[Grouch1980]

Hi all,
The 2008 NEC code, Table 110.26(A)(1) states that you need 3 feet in front of 120 volt equipment, such as panels, switchboards, etc. Does this apply to low voltage control panels such as lighting control panels or fire alarm panels? you do have a 120 volt circuit coming in to each panel to give them power. According to 110.26(A) WORKING SPACE: "Working space for equipment operating at 600 volts, nominal, or less to ground and likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized shall comply with the dimensions of..... " you can perform servicing on these control panels while they are live, and there's a 120 circuit to give them power, so do you need 3 feet in front of them?

 

[petersonra]

Hi all,
The 2008 NEC code, Table 110.26(A)(1) states that you need 3 feet in front of 120 volt equipment, such as panels, switchboards, etc. Does this apply to low voltage control panels such as lighting control panels or fire alarm panels? you do have a 120 volt circuit coming in to each panel to give them power. According to 110.26(A) WORKING SPACE: "Working space for equipment operating at 600 volts, nominal, or less to ground and likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized shall comply with the dimensions of..... " you can perform servicing on these control panels while they are live, and there's a 120 circuit to give them power, so do you need 3 feet in front of them?

I think the clause applies to the equipment as described.

I think the key is whether the equipment will be "likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized".

It is not about whether you can perform servicing while they are live, but whether such servicing is likely to be required.

My opinion is something like this is almost certainly going to require debugging while live at some point, and debugging would seem to be to be covered under "examination".

 

[kingpb]

Why would you want less than 3'? Typically, Electricians drink a lot of beer and even 36" is going to be tight for a bunch of the usual suspects.