Location of breaker box

[kathleen]

We have a client designing a home. She would like to place her breaker box inside a walk-in pantry. I know the code states the breaker box cannot be in a clothes closet, but is a pantry ok? What clearance will I need to allow?

 

[iwire]

Re: Location of breaker box

In my opinion a pantry sounds like it could be an excellent place for a panel, hidden yet close to the kitchen so the majority of the larger circuits are as short as possible.

All the info you need is in 110.26 I will post the sections I think will have an impact on this installation but keep in mind there are some parts that I left out, outdoor installations, large equipment, illumination etc. It would be a good idea to read through 110.26 yourself in full.

110.26 Spaces About Electrical Equipment.
Sufficient access and working space shall be provided and maintained about all electric equipment to permit ready and safe operation and maintenance of such equipment. Enclosures housing electrical apparatus that are controlled by lock and key shall be considered accessible to qualified persons.

(A) Working Space. Working space for equipment operating at 600 volts, nominal, or less to ground and likely to require examination, adjustment, servicing, or maintenance while energized shall comply with the dimensions of 110.26(A)(1), (2), and (3) or as required or permitted elsewhere in this Code.

(1) Depth of Working Space. The depth of the working space in the direction of live parts shall not be less than that specified in Table 110.26(A)(1) unless the requirements of 110.26(A)(1)(a), (b), or (c) are met. Distances shall be measured from the exposed live parts or from the enclosure or opening if the live parts are enclosed.

I can not post tables but this depth will be three feet for systems with less than 150 volts to ground.

Working space continues

(a) Dead-Front Assemblies. Working space shall not be required in the back or sides of assemblies, such as dead-front switchboards or motor control centers, where all connections and all renewable or adjustable parts, such as fuses or switches, are accessible from locations other than the back or sides. Where rear access is required to work on nonelectrical parts on the back of enclosed equipment, a minimum horizontal working space of 762 mm (30 in.) shall be provided.

(2) Width of Working Space. The width of the working space in front of the electric equipment shall be the width of the equipment or 750 mm (30 in.), whichever is greater. In all cases, the work space shall permit at least a 90 degree opening of equipment doors or hinged panels.

(3) Height of Working Space. The work space shall be clear and extend from the grade, floor, or platform to the height required by 110.26(E). Within the height requirements of this section, other equipment that is associated with the electrical installation and is located above or below the electrical equipment shall be permitted to extend not more than 150 mm (6 in.) beyond the front of the electrical equipment.

(B) Clear Spaces. Working space required by this section shall not be used for storage. When normally enclosed live parts are exposed for inspection or servicing, the working space, if in a passageway or general open space, shall be suitably guarded.

(E) Headroom. The minimum headroom of working spaces about service equipment, switchboards, panelboards, or motor control centers shall be 2.0 m (6? ft). Where the electrical equipment exceeds 2.0 m (6? ft) in height, the minimum headroom shall not be less than the height of the equipment.
Exception: In existing dwelling units, service equipment or panelboards that do not exceed 200 amperes shall be permitted in spaces where the headroom is less than 2.0 m (61/2 ft).


(F) Dedicated Equipment Space. All switchboards, panelboards, distribution boards, and motor control centers shall be located in dedicated spaces and protected from damage.

(1) Indoor. Indoor installations shall comply with 110.26(F)(1)(a) through (d).

(a) Dedicated Electrical Space. The space equal to the width and depth of the equipment and extending from the floor to a height of 1.8 m (6 ft) above the equipment or to the structural ceiling, whichever is lower, shall be dedicated to the electrical installation. No piping, ducts, leak protection apparatus, or other equipment foreign to the electrical installation shall be located in this zone.
Exception: Suspended ceilings with removable panels shall be permitted within the 1.8-m (6-ft) zone.

The head room requirement would control the installation of cabinets or shelves above the panel.

The width of the working space (30") will control putting cabinets to close to the sides of the panels.

If the panel for some reason was surface mounted, the Dedicated Electrical Space requirement would come into play.

I will make a suggestion that if this pantry is full of cabinets that you have a wall space built out to the front of the cabinets or have the cabinet maker leave a space to mount the panel flush with the front of the cabinets.

If you keep the panel flush with the cabinets you will not have to leave a 30" gap between cabinets for a 15" wide panel or need to leave the headroom as you will be out from under cabinets.

I hope I explained it well, you can lose a lot of wall space if you mount the panel flush in the wall and want to put cabinets around it.

Am I making sense?

Bob

[ October 19, 2003, 07:12 AM: Message edited by: iwire ]

 

[kathleen]

Re: Location of breaker box

Bob,

Thanks for the helpful information.

I found this part a bit confusing:
>>I will make a suggestion that if this pantry is full of cabinets that you have a wall space built out to the front of the cabinets or have the cabinet maker leave a space to mount the panel flush with the front of the cabinets.

If you keep the panel flush with the cabinets you will not have to leave a 30" gap between cabinets for a 15" wide panel or need to leave the headroom as you will be out from under cabinets.

I hope I explained it well, you can lose a lot of wall space if you mount the panel flush in the wall and want to put cabinets around it.

Am I making sense? >>

Can you explain this a little bit more?

Thanks,
Kathleen

 

[amp-dude]

Re: Location of breaker box

Kathleen,

I've installed supanels in several kitchen pantrys and no problems with the building depts/inspectors.

Keep the 36" depth in mind, in one case we had 36" BEFORE sheetrock. The inspector found fault for having less than 36". We talked him into OKing it, but I'll watch that in the future!

Cliff

 

[monkey]

Re: Location of breaker box

I heard a guy explain it like this, which I thought made it real simple:" Picture the box your refrigerator came in. If you can't place that box up against the panel, you are in violation of required working space.
Brian

 

[Guest]

Re: Location of breaker box

Originally posted by kathleen:
<snip> Can you explain this a little bit more? <snip>

If you have upper cabinets that are twelve inches deep, you would need to leave 30" horizontal space clear for the panel. Assuming the panel cover is 16" wide you would have to keep the cabinets 7" away left and right (if centered) or an aggregate of 14" away if offset. If the cabinets are surface mounted and the panel is mounted on or within the wall surface you will need to leave a 30" pocket adjacent to the cabinets for the panel.

If you build the wall 12" out then you just need to leave about 16" to set the panel in.

Or, maybe there are no upper cabinets on the panel wall of the pantry. In that case you run your panel flush to the wall making sure to have 30" of horizontal working space for the panel.

If you are still not clear post back and somebody will try to sketch it out for you.

 

[iwire]

Re: Location of breaker box

Wayne's getting what I was trying to explain.

If you make the panel cover flush with the front of the cabinets you can have cabinet doors as tight to the sides of the panel as is possible to accomplish.

If you mount the panel flush with the wall surface and then install cabinets on that surface, the cabinets will need to be 30" apart where the panel is.

That would leave a gap of unusable wall surface, the panel cover might be 16" wide but the work space requirement will force the gap of 30" so as Wayne said you end up with 14" of unusable surface.

Remember that if the panel is flush with 12" deep upper cabinets you can not put in deeper base cabinets below it.

Another option is to put the panel behind the door if it swings into the pantry.

Bob

 

[kathleen]

Re: Location of breaker box

Okay -- I think I've got a good picture of what you mean. Thanks so much for your help.

Kathleen