column type panelboards

[mshields]

I've got a shallow electrical closet with double doors that only afford me 5 feet clear. I need to get three panelboards in this closet. If touching each other, I make the clearance just barely, but that doesn't even allow for a door hinge cutting into that space by a fraction of an inch.

What I'm considering is using column type panelboards but I've never done this before and want to make sure I'm considering all that needs to be considered here. One concern is getting all the conduit out the top of these things. It will need to be conduit and not MC because these are Emergency panels in a hospital. I'm thinking I can probably make this work, but combining circuits in larger conduit where exiting the panelboard, running to a box above and then running the individual circuits from that box.

Would be interested in your thoughts?

Thanks,

Mike

 

[LarryFine]

Would be interested in your thoughts?

Okay. In no particular order, and, of course, having not seen the space:

If it's physically impossible, you need a larger room or another wall or room.

Can't fit two larger panels? Taller, more circuits, different panel type, etc.

With them side-by-side, you need no additional space; they can share.

Is there an adjacent wall for one of them? They can share that space, too.