Panel Box Behind Door

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jetlag

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Eatonton, Georgia
Is there , or has there ever been a code against locating a panel box on a single family dwelling behind a door ? I thought sure there was . it seems like a safety hazard to me for some one to push a door open suddenly and hit someone that's working on a panel box . I never locate one there . but I have an owner no wanting to change any plans in the utility room to mount it elsewhere .
 
LarryFine said:
No, it's compliant; you can always lock the door.

It's actually a good place that won't be blocked.
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Thanks , I knew someone would say that . A utility room usually only has a non locking passage lock . When I work on one like that I bump the pins out of the hinges and take the door off .
 
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Your's is in a utility room or closet. I once had to locate one behind a door in a walk-in clothes closet. No storage above the panel and at least 3' away from any clothing. Just saying. :cool:
 
Do it all the time. It makes a perfect location in a 2nd floor laundry room for a sub panel. Always guarantees having 36" in front.
 
goldstar said:
Your's is in a utility room or closet. I once had to locate one behind a door in a walk-in clothes closet. No storage above the panel and at least 3' away from any clothing. Just saying. :cool:
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kec said:
Do it all the time. It makes a perfect location in a 2nd floor laundry room for a sub panel. Always guarantees having 36" in front.
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Both sound like non-compliant locations to me because of the clothes
 
Little Bill said:
Clothes closet yes, but laundry rooms have panels in them all the time. No code against it, and not dangerous unless someone uses the panel door to hang laundry on.:rolleyes:
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Not even dangerous then. If there is that much danger of sparks coming out of a panel they should be required to be located in a fire resistance room with no combustibles. There are plenty of locations where panels are commonly installed that probably have a lot more risk of fire than a clothes closet.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
Not even dangerous then. If there is that much danger of sparks coming out of a panel they should be required to be located in a fire resistance room with no combustibles. There are plenty of locations where panels are commonly installed that probably have a lot more risk of fire than a clothes closet.
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Yeah, I know, I was just pointing out that someone would have to go out of their way to make it dangerous, thus the "smiley".
 
Our local habitat for humanity would put the panel in the hallway to the garage. The door would swing in front of the door, ensuring no storage in front of the panel.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
Not even dangerous then. If there is that much danger of sparks coming out of a panel they should be required to be located in a fire resistance room with no combustibles. There are plenty of locations where panels are commonly installed that probably have a lot more risk of fire than a clothes closet.
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I wasn't saying I agreed with 240.24(D), that section should be deleted IMO but as it is it says clothes closets are a no go.
 
electrofelon said:
I wasn't saying I agreed with 240.24(D), that section should be deleted IMO but as it is it says clothes closets are a no go.
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Do we have any specific definition for clothes closet to apply here? I would think it could be ok if as mentioned were behind the door when opened, and no storage is within close proximity. All 240.24(D) says "in the vicinity of easily ignitable material" and then the only example given is clothes closets, leaving many to automatically disqualify anything that might be considered a clothes closet, yet they might overlook other easily ignitable material.

As mentioned if sparks are expected to shower from these things then they probably should be in fire resistant finished areas only including non combustible flooring finishes, then the next question like we already have now would be - for what distance if there is no wall or other separation from easily ignitable material?

How many commercial spaces have mechanical/electrical rooms that almost always become a janitor closet and have easily ignitable items in them? Even ones that still leave 110.26 clearances around the electrical equipment? How many dwelling unit garages have panels in them as well as easily ignitable materials?
 
I purposely put the garage subpanel in my smaller garage behind the door. It's literally the only place in the garage that won't have shelving or work benches.
 
LarryFine said:
"Smaller garage." Huh. I wish I had one. :rolleyes:
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Nothing special. I have what they call a 3 car garage. The two car side has a 16' wide door and fits two cars no problem. The single door side is too small to fit an SUV and barely fits a compact car. So more like a 2.5 car garage. Previous owner put a divinding wall up inbetween the two with a door. Hence the smaller garage. I made this my motor cycle garage in the front and it has a work bench in the back. Nothing like the garages I see in Texas or mid west. Behind that door was the perfect spot for a sub panel. I went without a garage for too long.
 
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