Installing a 90" tall x 20" wide 120/208 3 phase commercial electrical panel. I normally have set these right on the house keeping pad.

Joe Corbin

Member
Location
Key West Florida
Occupation
Master Electrician
Installing a 90" tall x 20" wide commercial electrical panel. I normally have set these right on the house keeping pad. Is this in compliance with the NEC? Is there a better preferred method?
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
The only issues with a housekeeping pad is that you must keep the upper most breaker handle no more than 6'7" above the floor, and that the pad cannot extend more than 6" in front of the panel.
 

mtnelect

HVAC & Electrical Contractor
Location
Southern California
Occupation
Contractor, C10 & C20 - Semi Retired
This might help, I believe this is under the utility's jurisdiction.
 

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Joe Corbin

Member
Location
Key West Florida
Occupation
Master Electrician
The only issues with a housekeeping pad is that you must keep the upper most breaker handle no more than 6'7" above the floor, and that the pad cannot extend more than 6" in front of the panel.
So, setting the galvanized can on the concrete housekeeping pad is in compliance with the NEC as long as the main disconnect is no higer than 6' 7"?
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
The keyword "Housekeeping Pad" led me to believe this was a utility issue.
how so??....a lot large electrical equipment is installed on housekeeping pads.
All of my large switchboards, floor mounted panelboards, MCCs and transformers were installed in housekeeping pads. It is a very common specification.
 

mtnelect

HVAC & Electrical Contractor
Location
Southern California
Occupation
Contractor, C10 & C20 - Semi Retired
how so??....a lot large electrical equipment is installed on housekeeping pads.
All of my large switchboards, floor mounted panelboards, MCCs and transformers were installed in housekeeping pads. It is a very common specification.

The only place that "Housekeeping Pad(s)" is mentioned is in "EUSERC" member publications. There are 14 states that are members, and Florida is not one of them. So, my reference was wrong.
 

jim dungar

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Wisconsin
Occupation
PE (Retired) - Power Systems
The only place that "Housekeeping Pad(s)" is mentioned is in "EUSERC" member publications. There are 14 states that are members, and Florida is not one of them. So, my reference was wrong.
Housekeeping pad has been a standard term on the construction sites I have been involved with. It definitely is not a term unique to electrial equipment.
 
Last edited:

Joe Corbin

Member
Location
Key West Florida
Occupation
Master Electrician
Yes that is fine. You could also use strut bolted to the pad.
As we have numerous conduits entering the cabinet thru the floor pad, is it acceptable to cut out the bottom of the can and set over top the conduits? Very similar to setting a MCC. We have done this for years, with panels, PLC/MCPs, but not sure where to find or confirm in the NEC. We are using metal conduit with grounding bushing and would be attaching to the can/ground.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
As we have numerous conduits entering the cabinet thru the floor pad, is it acceptable to cut out the bottom of the can and set over top the conduits? Very similar to setting a MCC. We have done this for years, with panels, PLC/MCPs, but not sure where to find or confirm in the NEC. We are using metal conduit with grounding bushing and would be attaching to the can/ground.
I don't have the NEC with me but I believe that open bottom switchboards are permitted as you've described but I don't believe that making an open bottom panelboard cabinet would be the same thing.
 

david

Senior Member
Location
Pennsylvania
if the hight of the pad raised caused a disconnect to be to high I would ask that the pad extend out to the clear working space in front of the panel

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
It doesn't have to be a Switchboard for it to come out that tall.

Some Panelboards will come out that tall also if the person taking it off goes by a panel schedule that has a large amount of breaker fill.

They are a pain in many aspects. Breaker height being one of them, and, conduit space needed out of a 20" wide for the number of circuits coming out of it being another.

Swithchboards, no biggy, but, Panelboards, I go out of my way to keep 90" tall Panelboards off my jobs.

I always check to see, prior to release, if there is room that is, if I can get the panel built as a multi-section instead to reduce the panel height.

JAP>
 
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