Keep old panel as j-box...

[1793]

I am interested in hearing how many of you, when you get the chance, keep the old panel as a j-box when doing Service and or Panel changes.

See attached.

 

[220/221]

Damn that's a lot o fuses.



If it makes sense, I use the old panel as a JB.

I certainly wouldn't remove that box and install a regular JB.

If the circuits come into that panel, I'd put the new on in it's place.

 

[masterinbama]

I do know one thing.

If you allow my helper to get a hold of a bender, and produce a piece of conduit like the one in the second picture.

We might have issues.. one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made was showing him the bender, and not teaching him.

 

[LarryFine]

I do know one thing.

If you allow my helper to get a hold of a bender, and produce a piece of conduit like the one in the second picture.

We might have issues.. one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made was showing him the bender, and not teaching him.

Well, he did have a few LB's to dodge.

 

[knothole]

Yeah, I've used the old box as a junction box on several occasions.......

 

[Fishin-trician]

Alot of times in resi work it's the path of least resistance, commercial usually not, but it depends on the site and customers preferance.

 

[SEO]

Sometimes it can save a lot of money. When we do it we rivit the door shut so that you have to remove the screws to access.

 

[Mule]

We do it on occassion, on older homes. take the guts out and screw down the fuse cover lid, and use it for a Jbox. Probably not listed for the purpose

 

[augie47]

it's done fairly often here. There was a thread once where some inspectors would not accept the practice as it was not a listed j-box.
There wasn't much support for that approach, but you might keep it in mind.

 

[highendtron]

Hard to believe that most customers would not gripe if the ec did not clean up some of the mess when upgrading a service...I would not want my companies name and reputation on this mess unless I could leave it better than I found it. If adding a junction box made it look like a professional worked on it, instead of just an apprentice or farmer...add the junction box!

 

[fondini]

Damn that's a lot o fuses.



If it makes sense, I use the old panel as a JB.

I certainly wouldn't remove that box and install a regular JB.

If the circuits come into that panel, I'd put the new on in it's place.

lmao idont know if i could do that if i tried!...oops wrong quote, the bender quote!

 

[okeefe]

I've used the old box as a junction box a few times. I remove the orginal cover and guts and throw them out. I will purchase a piece of sheet metal from a fab shop and they cut it to size, and I spray paint it gray for a cleaner job.

 

[daleuger]

I do know one thing.

If you allow my helper to get a hold of a bender, and produce a piece of conduit like the one in the second picture.

We might have issues.. one of the biggest mistakes I have ever made was showing him the bender, and not teaching him.

I agree that would be jerked down and slung so fast....

 

[JacksonburgFarmer]

Hey now....whats wrong with farmers????:grin:

 

[Sierrasparky]

I would probably be cleaner just to replace the old box with a new one.
Less splicing. Is this knob and Tube?

 

[R Bob]

Doesn't look like there is enough room to install a new pnl and keep the old ones as JBs.

When I relocate a pnl, I frequently use the existing pnl as a JB and extend the ckts to the new pnl.

 

[1793]

Damn that's a lot o fuses. ... I'd put the new on in it's place.

The long panel is only 16 circuits, they have fuses on the neutral side as well. There are a total of 5 panels with two disconnects.

I would be replacing the main disconnect, 200 amp upper right of photo #2. A 40 circuit MB panel surface mounted and then use the existing conduit to the 16 circuit panel for the new feeds for the existing circuits.

Remove all of the sub-panels possible.

 

[1793]

I would probably be cleaner just to replace the old box with a new one.
Less splicing. Is this knob and Tube?

BX no K&T. The Service enters on the back wall.

 

[Mule]

Hard to believe that most customers would not gripe if the ec did not clean up some of the mess when upgrading a service...I would not want my companies name and reputation on this mess unless I could leave it better than I found it. If adding a junction box made it look like a professional worked on it, instead of just an apprentice or farmer...add the junction box!

So you remove the old enclosure, possibly damaging old brittle wiring. Or you will leave the customer with sheetrock or even lath and plaster repairs? Where do you find a J box that's fits perfectly between stud spaces? Where do you stop? I think its the best value to utilize the existing enclosure, which I assure you is thicker metal than any new J box will be. and is already painted to match the wall....Most of the ones we replace dont have more than 4 or 6 circuits. 240v circuits that have been added over the years are on the outside. And besides alot of my customers are farmers anyway!!!!:grin:

 

[LarryFine]

I do that, and use 12-3 and 14-3 cables when possible for the regular BC extensions.