electrical rooms
- Thread starter gcb
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: electrical rooms
The NEC does not define the phrase ?Electric Room.? This is a very commonly used phrase, and we can all open a door, look in, and say, ?This is an Electric Room.? But the answer to the question that I think you are asking is that you can have an office, and you can store things, in the same room that also contains electrical equipment. I really don?t want any owners or architects knowing this, of course.
But it is not an NEC violation.
That said, the articles that celtic has cited tell you that you cannot store things in the areas that the NEC reserves for ?working clearance.? If you want to put a desk four feet away from a panel, the NEC will not stop you. The real problem is that stuff being stored has a tendency to ?breed.? Put one box in the room, and come back next week, and you will still see only one box. Put two boxes in the room, and come back next week, and you will see seven boxes. The only way to prevent infringement into the working clearance is to not allow any storage in the room at all.
The NEC does not define the phrase ?Electric Room.? This is a very commonly used phrase, and we can all open a door, look in, and say, ?This is an Electric Room.? But the answer to the question that I think you are asking is that you can have an office, and you can store things, in the same room that also contains electrical equipment. I really don?t want any owners or architects knowing this, of course.
But it is not an NEC violation.That said, the articles that celtic has cited tell you that you cannot store things in the areas that the NEC reserves for ?working clearance.? If you want to put a desk four feet away from a panel, the NEC will not stop you. The real problem is that stuff being stored has a tendency to ?breed.?
Put one box in the room, and come back next week, and you will still see only one box. Put two boxes in the room, and come back next week, and you will see seven boxes. The only way to prevent infringement into the working clearance is to not allow any storage in the room at all.
marinesgt0411
Senior Member
- Location
- Naples,FL 34110-9285
Re: electrical rooms
it may not be a NEC code violation but is often a local fire code violation I suggest you check with the local fire marshall
it may not be a NEC code violation but is often a local fire code violation I suggest you check with the local fire marshall
- Location
- Massachusetts
Re: electrical rooms
There is really no such thing as an 'electric room' as far as the code is concerned.
Keep stuff out of the workspace required by 110.26 and your done.
If I install a panel in an office wall does that make the office an electric room?
What is the definition of an electric room?
How so?
There is really no such thing as an 'electric room' as far as the code is concerned.
Keep stuff out of the workspace required by 110.26 and your done.
If I install a panel in an office wall does that make the office an electric room?
What is the definition of an electric room?
Re: electrical rooms
Originally posted by iwire:
ElectriycalrOOM = Electrical Equipment Room..?
* In Electrical Equipment Rooms,the illumination shall not be controlled by automatic means only..
iwire, this is one of those rooms , where,we can't control Illumination of lighting by automatic means alone..
surely you have seen one.. ..
- Location
- Massachusetts
Re: electrical rooms
Thats interesting Dillon
Thats interesting Dillon
Re: electrical rooms
The codes does not technically define an electric room in a definition sense but Art. 408.5 does talk about the location of switchboards. Also check out 408.7 an 408.8 Art. 450.41-48 covers
transformer vaults. I cant site the actual material but the NFPA does have requirements for dedicated spaces that are used for electrical equipment. Storing office supplies an or other things that might be easily egnitable is prohibited. In a more general sense the areas dedicated for electrical equipment are not storage rooms an shouldn't be used as such even though often you see you see it done. Most of the time there are specifically constructed fire rated walls that surround electrical equipment. Well enough rambling on just though I would add this info.
The codes does not technically define an electric room in a definition sense but Art. 408.5 does talk about the location of switchboards. Also check out 408.7 an 408.8 Art. 450.41-48 covers
transformer vaults. I cant site the actual material but the NFPA does have requirements for dedicated spaces that are used for electrical equipment. Storing office supplies an or other things that might be easily egnitable is prohibited. In a more general sense the areas dedicated for electrical equipment are not storage rooms an shouldn't be used as such even though often you see you see it done. Most of the time there are specifically constructed fire rated walls that surround electrical equipment. Well enough rambling on just though I would add this info.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Re: electrical rooms
All that is required is 3' back from the face of the electrical equipment 30" wide or the full width of the equipment, which ever is larger.
Yes they sure do and they can be found in 110.26, none of which requires a dedicated room or prohibits storing 'stuff' in a room with electric equipment.
All that is required is 3' back from the face of the electrical equipment 30" wide or the full width of the equipment, which ever is larger.
Maybe by your insurance carrier or company policy but not by the NEC. We are not allowed to install a panel in a clothes closet.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Re: electrical rooms
Until then I stand by my statement that the only rules that apply here for equipment under 600 volts are found in the NEC.
A room containing transformers, service panels, distribution panels and branch circuit panels may be used for storage of most anything if the 3' work space is maintained.
Keep in mind that all the equipment I mentioned above could be installed in almost any room. It is common to have all those items out in the open in say a factory or warehouse.
If you have a standard in mind let us know about it.
Until then I stand by my statement that the only rules that apply here for equipment under 600 volts are found in the NEC.
A room containing transformers, service panels, distribution panels and branch circuit panels may be used for storage of most anything if the 3' work space is maintained.
Keep in mind that all the equipment I mentioned above could be installed in almost any room. It is common to have all those items out in the open in say a factory or warehouse.
sceepe
Senior Member
Re: electrical rooms
I am with Iwire, maintain clear/working space and you can make it a storage room, office, classroom, corridor what ever you like. I have gotten architects to install fence separation in some storage rooms to keep boxes etc from creeping into the working space. Also, it limits access to the electrical equipment.
However, on the flip side, I work in a local jurisdiction that says if the room has a transformer over 112 KVA, its an "electrical room" and they want it rated.
I am with Iwire, maintain clear/working space and you can make it a storage room, office, classroom, corridor what ever you like. I have gotten architects to install fence separation in some storage rooms to keep boxes etc from creeping into the working space. Also, it limits access to the electrical equipment.
However, on the flip side, I work in a local jurisdiction that says if the room has a transformer over 112 KVA, its an "electrical room" and they want it rated.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Re: electrical rooms
That's understandable.
I do not see how this would effect storage in this room of rated construction.
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