Clearence above and beside electrical panels

[novaud]

1) Can electrical conduit from a 480 volt panel be run 5 feet above a 208volt panel in the dedicated electrical space?

2) Can panels or equipment of different depth be installed side by side on a 36 inch wall space. Example; a 6 inch deep panel and an 8 inch deep panel mounted side by side on a 36 inch wall, would the 6 inch panel need to be made flush with the deeper panel.

 

[dcspector]

1) Can electrical conduit from a 480 volt panel be run 5 feet above a 208volt panel in the dedicated electrical space?

2) Can panels or equipment of different depth be installed side by side on a 36 inch wall space. Example; a 6 inch deep panel and an 8 inch deep panel mounted side by side on a 36 inch wall, would the 6 inch panel need to be made flush with the deeper panel.

Yes and Yes......Do you have an NEC? Look at section 110.26

 

[charlie b]

I agree with the yes, but not necessarily with the yes. Regarding question 2, each panel has to have a minimum of 30 inches of clearance side-to-side. The panel need not be in the middle of that 30 inches.

But if are you looking at Panel A, and there is something on one side (let's say the right side) that sticks out from the wall further than the front of Panel A (such as your 8 inch deep panel would do), then there must be 30 inches of clear space from the common edge, across Panel A, and to the left of Panel A. So if there is a doorway to the left of Panel A, it might work. But if you put a 6 inch deep, 22 inch wide panel in a corner, against let us say the left wall of the room, and if you put an 8 inch deep panel immediately to its right, then the 6 inch panel does not have 30 inches of clear space from left to right. That would be a violation. You could indeed, as you suggest, mount the 6 inch panel away from the wall, so the two are flush at their front faces, and that would be acceptable.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[novaud]

Thank you for your reply. The wiring inspector on our job said it was not permissable to run piping fron one panel over another panel unless it was 6 feet above the panel. His reasoning was that it was a violation of 110.26(f).

My coworkers and I had never heard this before and thought the 6 foot rule of clear space was to prevent foreign piping and duct work from crossing over the panels. Mike Holt had an article in the January issue of ECM magazine which agreed that electrical raceways not associated with the panel can be in the dedicated space.

I was looking for additional input before I had a conversation with the inspector.

 

[dcspector]

Thank you for your reply. The wiring inspector on our job said it was not permissable to run piping fron one panel over another panel unless it was 6 feet above the panel. His reasoning was that it was a violation of 110.26(f).

My coworkers and I had never heard this before and thought the 6 foot rule of clear space was to prevent foreign piping and duct work from crossing over the panels. Mike Holt had an article in the January issue of ECM magazine which agreed that electrical raceways not associated with the panel can be in the dedicated space.

I was looking for additional input before I had a conversation with the inspector.

The Electrical above the panelboards is not foreign to electrical in the dedicated electrical space, unless it violates 110.26(A)(3). I am a bit confused on Charlie B's response on my second yes.....Maybe I did not read your post correctly.

 

[augie47]

Thank you for your reply. The wiring inspector on our job said it was not permissable to run piping fron one panel over another panel unless it was 6 feet above the panel. His reasoning was that it was a violation of 110.26(f).

My coworkers and I had never heard this before and thought the 6 foot rule of clear space was to prevent foreign piping and duct work from crossing over the panels. Mike Holt had an article in the January issue of ECM magazine which agreed that electrical raceways not associated with the panel can be in the dedicated space.

I was looking for additional input before I had a conversation with the inspector.

I have always been taught that one of the reason for 110.26(f) was to allow access for conduits to the panel. I can actually see your inspectors point. If you had a 6" deep 208 volt panel and a 4" conduit to an adjacent 480 volt panel crossed over the 208 volt panel it would effectively block top access to the smaller panel.

 

[charlie b]

I am a bit confused on Charlie B's response on my second yes.

Sorry, it's a bit hard without pictures. What I was trying to say is that the working space begins at the front face of the panel. If you have two panels side by side, and one is 2 inches deeper than the other, then the front face of the deeper one could interfere with the working space of the shallower one. So the 30 inch width for the shallow panel cannot include the area in front of the deeper one.

 

[Rewire]

I agree nothing can limit the 30 inch working clearance be it 2 inches or two feet the code is clear that 30 inch must be maintained.An inspector could call you on 2 inches or they could let it go.

 

[Smart $]

1) Can electrical conduit from a 480 volt panel be run 5 feet above a 208volt panel in the dedicated electrical space?

Debatable. Some say yes, some say no. IMO, no... but I would reconsider under extenuating circumstance, such as the structural ceiling is very near 5 ft. above the panel.

2) Can panels or equipment of different depth be installed side by side on a 36 inch wall space. Example; a 6 inch deep panel and an 8 inch deep panel mounted side by side on a 36 inch wall, would the 6 inch panel need to be made flush with the deeper panel.

I agree with charlie b...

However, to be more specific about your situation, and if we assume your 36" wall means there are inside cormers to the left and right, you will have to bring the 6" deep panel out to be flush with the 8" deep panel to allow the 30" working spaces to overlap.

However, this changes if there is an outside corner next to the shallower panel.