has anyone seen a breaker panel mounted horizontally? i have a situation where it would be beneficial to do this. it is an old century home with a short stone foundation 28" or so then a ledge 24" then a concrete wall down to the floor 48".id like to mount it above the ledge but within reach rather than 2' away from the stone wall where something could get behind it.i've checked code 240.33 and 240.81 and it is possible. so i thought i would ask the question to see if anyone had any insite on this matter.it is a new service and a total rewire. thanks George
horizontally mounted breaker panel
- Thread starter gtlinden
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BAHTAH
Senior Member
- Location
- United States
Re: horizontally mounted breaker panel
In the typical loadcenter or panelboard you have breakeres Double-branch-mounted so the handle on the left moves left for off and the handle on the right breaker moves right for off. 240.81 requires all breakers in the vertical position to have "up" as the "on" position and with your panel mounted on it's side the top breakers would be "on" in the down position and a violation or 240.81.
In the typical loadcenter or panelboard you have breakeres Double-branch-mounted so the handle on the left moves left for off and the handle on the right breaker moves right for off. 240.81 requires all breakers in the vertical position to have "up" as the "on" position and with your panel mounted on it's side the top breakers would be "on" in the down position and a violation or 240.81.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Re: horizontally mounted breaker panel
Grant all George will have to do is load breakers only in what will be the bottom row.
Of course this means half the panel is unusable.
So a 30 circuit panel will only have 15 usable spaces.
[ February 14, 2005, 08:23 PM: Message edited by: iwire ]
Grant all George will have to do is load breakers only in what will be the bottom row.
Of course this means half the panel is unusable.
So a 30 circuit panel will only have 15 usable spaces.
[ February 14, 2005, 08:23 PM: Message edited by: iwire ]
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: horizontally mounted breaker panel
Bob: I half wonder if you were half joking. But George would have to do more than that! The ?top row? of breakers cannot even be there. It has to be blanked off. 240.81 says that the breaker has to have ?up? as its ?on? position, and makes no exception for a breaker that (for the moment at least) is spare.
Perhaps you can talk to a vendor, to see if they have a product that will answer your need. Perhaps they can offer a pair of smaller (i.e., shorter) panels that can be mounted side-by-side, with one powered from the other via feed-through lugs.
Bob: I half wonder if you were half joking. But George would have to do more than that! The ?top row? of breakers cannot even be there. It has to be blanked off. 240.81 says that the breaker has to have ?up? as its ?on? position, and makes no exception for a breaker that (for the moment at least) is spare.
Perhaps you can talk to a vendor, to see if they have a product that will answer your need. Perhaps they can offer a pair of smaller (i.e., shorter) panels that can be mounted side-by-side, with one powered from the other via feed-through lugs.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Re: horizontally mounted breaker panel
Bad use of language on my part Charlie.
Bad use of language on my part Charlie.
charlie
Senior Member
- Location
- Indianapolis
Re: horizontally mounted breaker panel
Maybe you can find an old Zinsco panel and . . .
Maybe you can find an old Zinsco panel and . . .
jimwalker
Senior Member
- Location
- TAMPA FLORIDA
Re: horizontally mounted breaker panel
checking e bay for zinsco panel LOL
checking e bay for zinsco panel LOL
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
Re: horizontally mounted breaker panel
No. Unfamiliarity on my part with conversational terms in common use within the trade (i.e., the professional slang). You were right, of course.
JJWalecka
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
Re: horizontally mounted breaker panel
Charlie B,
You stated that the top breakers of the horizontally mounted panel would have to be banked off. Does that mean the spaces where the top (right) breakers would be would be left blank or is there a specific panel cover that has only bottom (left) breaker spaces. What if someone at a later date adds circuit breakers. Do you remove part of the bus? That would void the warranty? Thank you.
Justin
Charlie B,
You stated that the top breakers of the horizontally mounted panel would have to be banked off. Does that mean the spaces where the top (right) breakers would be would be left blank or is there a specific panel cover that has only bottom (left) breaker spaces. What if someone at a later date adds circuit breakers. Do you remove part of the bus? That would void the warranty? Thank you.
Justin
- Location
- Massachusetts
Re: horizontally mounted breaker panel
What if someone takes the 14 AWG you placed on a 15 amp breaker and moves it to a 30?
It is the responsibility of future installers to follow the code.
Justin simply leave the KOs in the cover or install breaker blanks in the top row.
That is not your concern.
What if someone takes the 14 AWG you placed on a 15 amp breaker and moves it to a 30?
It is the responsibility of future installers to follow the code.
No, that would be a violation in itself if it was even possible.
JJWalecka
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
Re: horizontally mounted breaker panel
iwire,
Thank you for clearing that. I realize that taking the bus apart is wrong and impractical. Thank you once again.
Justin
iwire,
Thank you for clearing that. I realize that taking the bus apart is wrong and impractical. Thank you once again.
Justin
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