Dedicated electrical space

[skeshesh]

Hello everybody.

The ball gets passed around quite often nowadays where I work. Looking at a question from the architect on a job - inspection tagged a panelboard that has some piping above it; I have no idea what the original designer was thinking. Anyway, there is a drip pan installed directly above the panel and I was wondering what you guys' take is on 110.26(F)(1)(b)? I don't really know what constitutes a legit case where "protection is installed to avoid damage to the electrical equipment from condensation, leaks, or breaks in... foreign systems". References to acceptable methods of accomplishing this type of protection, cost of doing so vs. moving the panel, and past experiences successfully passing inspection using this code reference would be much appreciated.

 

[macmikeman]

The section you are quoting allows a drip pan "above" the dedicated space so if the piping and drip pan is more than 6 foot above the top of the panel you have an exception you can use. Otherwise the drip pan is not allowed, nor is the other system piping, unless it is sprinklers for that area.

 

[skeshesh]

I was in a hurry and did not read the sentence carefully. I was wondering why I'd never noticed that exception before and now I realize because it never existed! Thanks much for the correction.