Door Needed.......

Status
Not open for further replies.
1793

1793

Senior Member
Location
Louisville, Kentucky
Occupation
Inspector
I've had a Designer I work with send me these two photos and asked if the door, not the entire panel cover, could be removed to allow a piece of art to hang correctly.

My first thought is it would be OK, no live parts are accessible.

Anyone care to chime in?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0181.JPG
    IMG_0181.JPG
    36.8 KB · Views: 0
  • IMG_0182.jpg
    IMG_0182.jpg
    142.2 KB · Views: 0
Nope, the door is part of the cabinet. Unless you can get a different style door from the manufacturer of the circuit breaker cabinet that is listed for the cabinet pan, you can't change it.

The fact that it would be covered by a presumably flammable art work is a really bad idea.

If the designer suggested that you leave off box covers for j-boxes or cover plates for switches would you go along?

If the designer wants to hang a piece of art work over the panel, perhaps the designer can design a spacer behind the art work that allows it to hang properly over the door.
 
Or as illustrated in another thread, just cover the panel with some nice wallpaper, put a frame around it and call it a work of art.

Tapatalk!
 
fmtjfw said:
Nope, the door is part of the cabinet. Unless you can get a different style door from the manufacturer of the circuit breaker cabinet that is listed for the cabinet pan, you can't change it.

The fact that it would be covered by a presumably flammable art work is a really bad idea.

If the designer suggested that you leave off box covers for j-boxes or cover plates for switches would you go along?

If the designer wants to hang a piece of art work over the panel, perhaps the designer can design a spacer behind the art work that allows it to hang properly over the door.
Click to expand...
I disagree. You can get panels with the breaker handles exposed. They're kind of ugly, but they DO make them. It wouldn't bother me to remove the door (just the hinged portion), and hang a painting over it. But that's just, like, my opinion man.
 
buzzbar said:
I disagree. You can get panels with the breaker handles exposed. They're kind of ugly, but they DO make them. It wouldn't bother me to remove the door (just the hinged portion), and hang a painting over it. But that's just, like, my opinion man.
Click to expand...

yep, and if it has a UL listing, then you are good to go.

but if it was listed with that little door on it, and you take the door off....
the listing goes away as well.
 
I don't see a problem. As stated before they make panels without a front door. You can call SQAURE-D and see if removing the door will remove the listing.
 
edward said:
I don't see a problem. As stated before they make panels without a front door. You can call SQAURE-D and see if removing the door will remove the listing.
Click to expand...

The listing simply says that the item was built and shipper from the factory based on certain standards.

Just about everything you do in the field, including making conduit entries, has the ability to cause the device to no longer be in compliance with the original manufacturing standards.

According to UL it is up to the AHJ, not the manufacturer, to pass judgement on field modifications.
 
jim dungar said:
The listing simply says that the item was built and shipper from the factory based on certain standards.

Just about everything you do in the field, including making conduit entries, has the ability to cause the device to no longer be in compliance with the original manufacturing standards.

According to UL it is up to the AHJ, not the manufacturer, to pass judgement on field modifications.
Click to expand...

That has always been the way I see it, yet everyone gets hung up on "violating listings" in so many cases if you make any modification.

To that my reply is if you own and use KO punches or drill bits for making raceway and cable entries, you are violating a listing nearly every time you use them. Buy a cabinet with no pre-punched KO's and how are you supposed to get any wiring into it without making field modifications?
 
kwired said:
That has always been the way I see it, yet everyone gets hung up on "violating listings" in so many cases if you make any modification.

To that my reply is if you own and use KO punches or drill bits for making raceway and cable entries, you are violating a listing nearly every time you use them. Buy a cabinet with no pre-punched KO's and how are you supposed to get any wiring into it without making field modifications?
Click to expand...

Give me a break

If you buy a holeless cabinet, it is obvious to everyone -- the manufacturer, the NRTL, the inspector, and yourself -- that you must put holes in it to use it.

If you have a cabinet which has a door on it -- it is not obvious to anyone -- the manufacturer, the NRTL, the inspector, or a passerby -- that you must take the door off to use it.

APPLES and ORANGES
 
If the homeowner didn't care I would do it. Some of the smaller Siemens and QO loadcenters don't even have doors, so I wouldn't have a problem removing this one if the customer wanted it that way.
 
Last edited:
The point about what to do with any labelling (sometimes pretty extensive) attached to the inside of the door still concerns me. Make a photocopy of it and insert in an envelope inside the panel?

Tapatalk!
 
I'm happy when I find panels of that era behind paintings and they even have covers much less doors :D
 
1793 said:
I've had a Designer I work with send me these two photos and asked if the door, not the entire panel cover, could be removed to allow a piece of art to hang correctly.
Click to expand...
My first thought is to just use stand-off hanging techniques. IMO, artwork spaced out from a wall surface yields better viewing aesthetics.
 
The enclosure and cover for the panelboard are not required to be listed products. Those items are covered by Article 312.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top