Max breaker height

[Flex277]

Have a service change for a 800A 480v main and MCC for a city wellhouse. Was spec replace main gear on top of a gutter to splice onto the service conductors. With the height of the gutter and the new main panel on top. There is 500a breaker at the center of the handle is 6’8” It’s feeding a soft start then to the 350hp well pump. Does NEC 2017 240.24(4) apply.

(A) Accessibility. Switches containing fuses and circuit breakers shall be readily accessible and installed so that the center of the grip of the operating handle of the switch or circuit breaker, when in its highest position, is not more than 2.0 m (6 ft. 7 in.) above the floor or working platform, unless one of the following applies:

(1) For busways, as provided in 368.17(C).

(2) For supplementary overcurrent protection, as described in 240.10.

(3) For overcurrent devices, as described in 225.40 and 230.92.

(4) For overcurrent devices adjacent to utilization equipment that they supply, access shall be permitted to be by portable means.

This soft start and well pump are no more than 10 ft away in the same room. This breaker is at 6’8” and inspector is making me lower it. Not that big of deal but will not give this code reference any thought whatsoever.

 

[jumper]

It applies. Inspector is correct.

But jeez 1”, that is a bit strict IMO.

 

[romex jockey]

IIRC, the only reason we went from 6'6" to 6'7" was to appear 'international' via 2Meters anyways.....

~RJ~

 

[jumper]

IIRC, the only reason we went from 6'6" to 6'7" was to appear 'international' via 2Meters anyways.....

~RJ~

That is what I recall. I may research out of curiosity.

 

[Flex277]

It applies. Inspector is correct.

But jeez 1”, that is a bit strict IMO.

That’s kind of what I thought. And I was courteous and respectful and inspector was still snotty. I just can’t wrap my mind on why this code reference doesn’t exempt the 1”

 

[JFletcher]

Welcome to the forum

That’s kind of what I thought. And I was courteous and respectful and inspector was still snotty. I just can’t wrap my mind on why this code reference doesn’t exempt the 1”

There has to be a cutoff point somewhere, and 6'7" is it. Yeah, 6'8" is barely not compliant, but what of 6'9", 7', etc. I mean 7'1" is only 6" off.. not the end of the world if securing a piece of NM, or for an EMT support, then again, 6" too close to a spa, or a breaker handle height is more of a big deal... unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) the code doesnt have 'levels' of violation, it's either code or it's not.

 

[rlundsrud]

Is it possible to raise the floor 1" or more? Can you pour a square of concrete as a step so you are compliant?

 

[kwired]

Is it possible to raise the floor 1" or more? Can you pour a square of concrete as a step so you are compliant?

That was going to be my suggestion, probably a lot less costly to raise the floor then to lower the breaker.

Simply putting two 1/2" layers of plywood on the floor could possibly work, if you are allowed to have such material on the floor in that application.

 

[Flex277]

Is it possible to raise the floor 1" or more? Can you pour a square of concrete as a step so you are compliant?

That is what I suggested especially since I’m adding a 3 1/2 housekeeping pad 10 feet away however the city water department deemed my proposed pad as a trip hazard.

 

[Jraef]

IIRC, the only reason we went from 6'6" to 6'7" was to appear 'international' via 2Meters anyways.....

~RJ~

That is what I recall. I may research out of curiosity.

Yes, that's exactly correct, happened somewhere in the late 70s. Allen Bradley MCCs had the handle of a topmost bucket end up 6'7" off the floor when it was 6'6", so they had to supply a little "dongle" device that hung down off the handle. When the rule went to 6'7" , that issue went away.

Is it possible to raise the floor 1" or more? Can you pour a square of concrete as a step so you are compliant?

I would use a 1" thick rubber "safety isolation mat" in front of the MCC, nobody needs to know the real reason it's there... :angel:

 

[Flex277]

Is it possible to raise the floor 1" or more? Can you pour a square of concrete as a step so you are compliant?

I advised that or even a housekeeping pad in front and water department says no because it will be a trip hazard

 

[don_resqcapt19]

It applies. Inspector is correct.

But jeez 1”, that is a bit strict IMO.

It depends on how tall the inspector was
When I took over from my predecessor at an industrial client, I told them that the mounting heights just went down 6". I am 5'6 and he was 6'4.

 

[JFletcher]

I would use a 1" thick rubber "safety isolation mat" in front of the MCC, nobody needs to know the real reason it's there... :angel:
View attachment 19595

I dont see a problem with that; why the angel emoticon, like it's sneaky or wrong? It gets the breaker height to 6'7" off the floor and there's nothing wrong with a bit of extra 'safety',

 

[jumper]

I dont see a problem with that; why the angel emoticon, like it's sneaky or wrong? It gets the breaker height to 6'7" off the floor and there's nothing wrong with a bit of extra 'safety',

No, it gets the breaker handle 6’7” above the mat. The mat is not the floor.

The floor is permanent, mat is not.

And trying to say the mat is a working platform is really stretching it, hence the angel.

 

[JFletcher]

No, it gets the breaker handle 6’7” above the mat. The mat is not the floor.

The floor is permanent, mat is not.

And trying to say the mat is a working platform is really stretching it, hence the angel.

Gotcha. It is kind of a grey area but imho i think the mat meets the intent of the code, if not the exact letter of it.

 

[jumper]

Gotcha. It is kind of a grey area but imho i think the mat meets the intent of the code, if not the exact letter of it.

I see your point but disagree.

 

[kwired]

No, it gets the breaker handle 6’7” above the mat. The mat is not the floor.

The floor is permanent, mat is not.

And trying to say the mat is a working platform is really stretching it, hence the angel.

Put some adhesive on back of mat, now it is permanent.

 

[jumper]

Put some adhesive on back of mat, now it is permanent.

Holy smokes, that’s a brilliant idea!

Doh...I am so dense, didn’t think of that.:slaphead:

So, even though OP has stated that they will not let him build up the floor with other construction methods, maybe sneaking in there at night and gluing down a mat will fly.

The inspector who was sharp enough to catch a 1” error prolly never notice a large black object that suddenly appears out of nowhere............

 

[kwired]

Holy smokes, that’s a brilliant idea!

Doh...I am so dense, didn’t think of that.:slaphead:

So, even though OP has stated that they will not let him build up the floor with other construction methods, maybe sneaking in there at night and gluing down a mat will fly.

The inspector who was sharp enough to catch a 1” error prolly never notice a large black object that suddenly appears out of nowhere............

building up floor was turned down because of trip hazard. Building up entire floor or gradually sloping to original somehow shouldn't cause a trip hazard.

Seems there is two choices, raise the floor or lower the gear, someone needs to determine which is best overall.

 

[jumper]

building up floor was turned down because of trip hazard. Building up entire floor or gradually sloping to original somehow shouldn't cause a trip hazard.

Seems there is two choices, raise the floor or lower the gear, someone needs to determine which is best overall.

Pretty sure choice was made in post #1.

Not that big of deal......

OP had already ran options past inspector, OP really just wanted to see if a possible code exception existed.