NEC 110.26 clearance

[wsalomon]

I was recently asked about re-work in circa 1970 high-rise apartment by an owner who wants to spec out a scope-of work. It has a common limitation of the time, a 40 Amp 220 feed (meter and main breaker in basement with all the others), and a small panel in kitchen - see pix. The owner cleverly found as end-of-run GE dual-fuel stove, that has a gas cook-top and a gas oven pre-heat, and then switches over to 110 to maintain the heat (the kitchen ventilation is circa 1970 as well, 75 CFM at best.

The following questions occur:

1. If new cabinets, do they have to be higher than the 24" they are now?

2. Assuming the owner wishes to have a new panel installed on the wall to right (on the other side, which is an entry-way and provides plenty of clearance), what is the clearance required for using the existing panel box as a junction box for the wiring "extension" to the new panel? I would assume it is the same 30" horizontal clearance as now, and cannot be in cabinet to hide it and give more cabinet space from counter-top to the ceiling. He is hoping there is no concrete pillar if the corner that might make this more difficult, just steel studs.

My thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Firstly the panel is not compliant where it is installed. I assume we are looking at a kichen counter at the bottom of the picture? I thought it was the floor at first. You can turn the panel around but you wouldn't need a jb if you just turn it 180°. A JB can be inside a cabinet as long as you have access to it.

If you don't change the configuration of the new cabinets then you wouldn't need to bring the receptacle spacing up to code. There is no rule about the height of the upper cabinet at 24".

I hope I guessed correctly at what you were getting at cause I was a bit confused

 

[augie47]

1. NEC does not address cabinet height
2. If the exisiting panel is converted to a junction box it only needs to be accessible. The 110.26 clearancers do not apply.

 

[wsalomon]

Thank you both.

The surface you see is a countertop and backsplash, not a floor. Unfortunately, reversing the panel is not an option as it backs into the electric and HVAC chase, hence the reference to the wall on the right.

As far as converting the panel to a junction box, this can is be done within a cabinet with a cut-out in the back to remove screws and inspect, correct?

As far as being "ancient", this was done in the bad-old days of aluminum wire run in steel FMC and EMT. The owner has had all the "devices" changed to CU/ALR after prepping with emery cloth and OxGard. This a perennial issue in this building, and a nose-count shows few people are aware of the aluminum, much less what to do about