malachi constant
Senior Member
- Location
- Minneapolis
We installed a surface panel within a 36" deep closet. I assumed (and still believe) that we can use the open doorway to achieve required working clearance. However the inspector flagged us today for it, noting that with the door closed we only have ~32" clear. In looking through past threads on here I believe the consensus - maybe the unanimous opinion - is that my interpretation is considered acceptable, but that it is a grey area so I'm probably going to lose.
A little more info on the closet, lest you judge me for locating the panel there. The closet is 24 feet long, at the back of a large conference room, with doors at either end of the closet opening into conference room. We put two panels into this closet at the same end, perpendicular to each other. The thinking is nothing will get stored in front of the panels because the area will typically be used as passage to get deeper into the closet. If someone needs to work in there they can prop the door open - and if someone needed to get into the closet while the panel was being worked on, they could go through the door at the opposite end.
I don't see an issue here - as far as I know code is silent as to how to use a door opening when thinking about clearance space. Any feedback?
A little more info on the closet, lest you judge me for locating the panel there. The closet is 24 feet long, at the back of a large conference room, with doors at either end of the closet opening into conference room. We put two panels into this closet at the same end, perpendicular to each other. The thinking is nothing will get stored in front of the panels because the area will typically be used as passage to get deeper into the closet. If someone needs to work in there they can prop the door open - and if someone needed to get into the closet while the panel was being worked on, they could go through the door at the opposite end.
I don't see an issue here - as far as I know code is silent as to how to use a door opening when thinking about clearance space. Any feedback?
