zam
Member
- Location
- New York, NY
How common is it to come across electrical panelboards in commercial settings that have more that 42 circuit breakers? Panels with 54 poles, 66 poles, 78 poles and 84 poles are manufactured by Siemens. Thank you.
Electrical Panel - More than 42 poles
- Thread starter zam
- Start date
- Status
- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
Not very common at all, they haven't been around that long, besides who wants a panel you have to get down on your knees to land breakers in.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
I have been using some from time to time.
It helps to use QO or CH series because each space is only 3/4" wide instead of an inch.
But a NQ 225 amp main lug panel with 84 spaces isn't really all that tall compared to one with a 400 amp main breaker and 400 amp subfeed lugs - I have used some of those as well, but in the 277/480 volt NF series - have had some 84" inch tall cabinets associated with those. And IIRC they only had 66 branch spaces.
brantmacga
Señor Member
- Location
- Georgia
- Occupation
- Former Child
I haven't come across any in the field yet. I've priced out some 60+ circuit panel boards on 400A and up services, and so far it's always been less expensive to use multiple 225A panelboards and feeders.
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Cow
Senior Member
- Location
- Eastern Oregon
- Occupation
- Electrician
Ragin Cajun
Senior Member
- Location
- Upstate S.C.
Using them more and more, especially where the individual circuit loads are low. Great way to provide spare circuits without having to add another pnlbd.
RC
RC
- Location
- Massachusetts
Well considering some of our customers had us stacking two 42 circuit panels over each other it's not any harder.
MiElectrician
Member
- Location
- mi
We installed a 54 one this year. I thought someone mislabeled the circuits at a j box and then went in and counted the breakers. It didn't seem that huge. Also, our Brady tags only go to 45
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
Assume you are referring to wire marker tags. I bet you can get another version with 46-90 tags, that is common with other brands anyway.Also, our Brady tags only go to 45
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
We have yet to see an engineer spec a larger than 42 circuit panel. We will use two or three 42 circuits panels together on the same feeder instead of one larger panel.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
The question becomes do they actually have an issue with more then 42 circuits in one panel or are they just doing it the way they have always done it and/or won't change their boiler plate?
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
I would guess it has to do with the latter. Certainly labor wise one panel would be cheaper to install and terminate.
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Then you haven't been in my office lately. :lol: I have done it several times recently, including one current project. It happens when the architect doesn't give me much space for electrical equipment, and the owner has lots of toys that need power.
zam
Member
- Location
- New York, NY
Thank you all for replying back. This question arose because of a current project that we are working on where more than 42 circuit breakers are needed, but the wall has space (NEC clearance requirement) for only one electrical panel.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
- Occupation
- EC
You can start at floor level and stack them until you reach 6 feet 7 inches high with the highest handle. Since they eliminated the 42 circuit rule a couple codes ago they can now all be in the same cabinet on the same panelboard. I don't know of anyone making more then an 84 circuit panel though.
- Status