Outdoor panel

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topiramax

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Anybody aware of a more eye-pleasing eye of putting up an outdoors service panel? Something better than a board and 2 4x4s?

Stand-alone, away from a building structure.
 
I can't say that I recall ever seeing an outdoor panel permanently mounted on boards. Usually they are on a pole.

You can't beat the price of a board and a couple of 4X4s though. How much are you willing to spend? No reason you could not put up a small building and install it there if your budget allows.
 
topiramax said:
What if a larger area is needed for additional equipment, switches, etc.
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How much equipment are you talkin about?

I recently put a 200 amp residential service on strut with meter piggybacking a main breaker panel which fed through to a mini container home.

I suppose you could always build a monument wall out of cinder block and brick veneer if you wanted it to look really slick 🙄
 
topiramax said:
Anybody aware of a more eye-pleasing eye of putting up an outdoors service panel? Something better than a board and 2 4x4s?
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Usually that would be done for a temporary service while a building is being constructed. I have seen cases though where a hack EC decided to leave it and use it to permanently feed the building after it was finished. There is a million dollar home near my house where the meter and disconnect is still on the temporary pole in the front yard 25 feet away from the house. The EC fed the panel in the basement of the house UG from the pole. Guess he wasn't making enough money on that job. :mad:

-Hal
 
Out in the county you will see a lot of outdoor panels mounted on 4x4 and plywood to provide electric for campers on private property.

Over time, the plywood tends to warp, and 4x4s aren't really sturdy enough for the size and weight of all this equipement, as these are permanent installs. I would use 6x6 posts with caps on the top to prevent rot from the top down, and then mount the equiment on 2x6 boards strapped between the posts instead of plywood.

But these aren't installs that are designed to be eye pleasing anyways.
 
I wish I had a picture but a friend of mine has one built up like a very small gazebo with a wooden shingle roof and lattice walls. It has 3 meters and 3 panels, all relatively hidden from view, one for the house and one for his wood shop and one for his wife's store. All underground feed. The wall that has the panels and meters has wood shakes on outside to help decorate and it even has a decking type floor. It's right out front and visible to customers as they come into the yard. Of course he does carpentry on high end houses, multi-million dollar residences.
If money not an issue I'm sure someone could construct a very tasteful structure that will fit in with the existing building's style.
 
I bought at WESCO a composite board for the oilfields. It was 3/4 rubber/compressed wood. Longevity was "stickered" at 20yrs, paintable, VERY heavy. it was a 4x8 panel. The oilfields have been trying to slowly phase out wood backboards.
 
a lot of farm applications I end up making a rack of common stock steel welded together and tailored to the needs, often setting the "posts" in concrete and painting it so it won't be all rusty in just a few months.

Better yet is old grain bin flooring, pretty lightweight but also rather sturdy and can make a pretty large flat surface with a galvanized finish to mount equipment on pretty easily with that stuff, but you usually need a client that has some laying around that they want to use for such.
 
Little Bill said:
I have made them out of either two 4x4 or 4x6 posts. I used 5/4" PT deck boards for the back. Used strut and strut clamps to secure the conduit. These look pretty nice, at least a lot better than plywood.

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This is identical to how I do residential pedestals.

On commercial stuff, or near the coast, concrete posts and pvc coated strut.


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Little Bill said:
I have made them out of either two 4x4 or 4x6 posts. I used 5/4" PT deck boards for the back. Used strut and strut clamps to secure the conduit. These look pretty nice, at least a lot better than plywood.

Click to expand...
What's the taller posts for, a roof? That looks quite nice.
 
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