NEC rules on installing a 200A 3-phase 208 panel horizontally on it's back?

[herding_cats]

I need to land a subpanel laying flat on it's back on top of a commercial freezer. It's in a grocery store supplying power to the defrost heater systems. Is there any code violations by doing this? I don't see anything that says you can't. It's not a wet location and it's about 7 feet in the air on top of the freezer.

 

[LarryFine]

I'm not sure. It was done in laundromats, under the covers between the back-to-back machines.

I'm thinking it has been disallowed, but I'm not sure whether it was the position or the location.

 

[herding_cats]

Exactly I have seen one in a laundromat. Another feeding kilns at a pottery operation a few years ago.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

The following was added in the 2020 code, and expanded in the 2023 to also prohibit panels in the face-down position.

408.43 Panelboard Orientation.
Panelboards shall not be installed in the face-up position.

 

[herding_cats]

Thanks I just checked it. You are correct.