- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
I'm not very familiar with all of the nuances of barrier free installations but I've got to believe that this inspector is incorrect.
panel height
- Thread starter 101010
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Ok, ask him what he would require if this was a large kitchen and the panelboard was say 84" tall, and the highest breaker by design was 72" from the floor.
Roger
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
If you really want the answer call Suzanne at the DCA, I believe that she actually teaches a CEU class on barrier free installations in New Jersey:
(609) 984-7609.
Suzanne Borek
Code Assistance Unit
(609) 984-7609.
Suzanne Borek
Code Assistance Unit
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I went to school with a Suzanne Borek, I wounder if it is the same one ?
I have to agree that this is a mis-interpretation of the code. If you haven't run your conduit in and you are lowering it no harm but I would damn sure want it in writing and go after the cost of doing it if it is him just being a hard head.
I got an update for you guys. Called DCA and they confirmed that any panel in a commercial building that has the capability to hire handicapped employees must conform to barrier free installations. This means the panels cannot be higher than 48" to top breaker. He also stated that if the panel is larger you would have to purchase a side mount. I am interested to know how many people that have done storefronts ( starbucks , coffee shops , hardware stores etc.) actually know this and install this way. Learn something new every day.
Did you ask if a locked panel would also need to be at 48" as others have suggested?
Yes I did, He said locking the panel is illegal. I still have to call back again because if you mount a 40 ckt panel from 48" down, the bottom breakers are going to be under 15" , another violation. Still confused. Have you guys purchased a side mounted panel? Cost?
Have a great thanksgiving everyone.
Have a great thanksgiving everyone.
Locked won't qualify? Ask about why Electrical closets are locked? This has got to be the stupidest piece of regulation I've ever heard of. It would seem that perhaps a main MIGHT be forced to be mounted at 48" for emergency shutdown, but a whole pnel?
Nothing against the physically cahllenged, but reality needs to be considered.
Nothing against the physically cahllenged, but reality needs to be considered.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Not sure who you spoke to at the DCA but I took a barrier free CEU class today by Suzanne Borek. She mentioned circuit breakers in panelboards. I asked her specifically if the barrier free height requirements applied to CB's in a store such as Starbucks. Her answer was that only if the CB's were used for switching the lighting on or off would those CB's be required to meet that barrier free requirements just like regular light switches. In other words, if 2 circuits were used for turning the lights on and off then only those two CB's would be required to meet the BF height dimensions. If the CB's were not used to turn the lights on and off and were only for protection of the branch circuits then the BF requirements do not apply and the panel can be mounted according to the 6'7" rule in the NEC.
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