Panel Working Spaces

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muhandas

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A 120/208V, 100A MCB panel is mounted on a wall at right angle to the access door that swings inward such that when the door is open 90 degrees (that is, the door is now parallel to the panel) the distance between the door and the panel is about 2 ft. Please see attached sketch. Am I right in saying that this is not in compliance with 110.26?
Would appreciate your comments.
Heinz R.
 
This is perfectly fine, the door can be closed when needed to give the required clearance.

There are many panels located in this type of scenario.

Roger
 
In a commercial application, such as this likely might be, this can sometimes even be a preferred mounting location. It is pretty much assured that nothing permanent or heavy will ever be placed in that panel's working space. I sometimes mount punchdown blocks above the drop ceiling purposely right over a doorway. This assures a place to set up a ladder to work up there for all time.
 
Electrical rooms get used for storage all the time. I had two trainees who do electrical for Habitat for Humanity, I asked where they put their panels, they install in a utility room, but behind the door. Clever as that space is always clear to allow the door to open. You close the door and there is your working space.
 
I concur with all of the above posts. However, a lot (some?) of shops and factories will actually paint the floor around equipment and panelboards to mark clear areas and enforce those clear areas. In occupancies where that is done, installing a panelboard behind is door should be prohibited by the designer. In my opinion, there is still no Code violation if it is installed behind a door. :smile:
 
charlie said:
I concur with all of the above posts. However, a lot (some?) of shops and factories will actually paint the floor around equipment and panelboards to mark clear areas and enforce those clear areas.
Click to expand...
Yeah, those yellow painted lines are magical. Nothing ever gets set in front of the panel if you paint a box on the floor in front of it. :rolleyes: ya..
 
so you're the guy...

so you're the guy...

"I sometimes mount punchdown blocks above the drop ceiling purposely right over a doorway. This assures a place to set up a ladder to work up there for all time."

I hate servicing sites where the equipment at the head end requires the use of a ladder. Often you are back and forth from the blocks to some other location in the building while testing and making changes.

Also, I have spent many unpleasant days on sites where we had to work in a stifling, unventilated closet with the door closed. I have often wished to lock the electrical designer and the architect in there for a day and see how they like it.

I feel the same about clients that insist on installing their audio-visual gear on shelving with no access to the back side of the equipment where all the wiring goes.
 
prima donnas

prima donnas

I'll admit it, I'm not looking to make my life any more difficult than it has to be. I have a lot of respect for guys that spend their days in manholes, underground vaults, or in the pouring rain on a line truck, or the like. But on sites where it's my guys that are doing the installation I insist on making it as serviceable as possible.

Plus I think it's safer and easier to do good work when you're not distracted by an excessively unpleasant work environment or trying to balance on a ladder while sorting out problems with fiber terminations or 24 ga. comm wires. And I'm always worried I'm going to drop some expensive piece of test equipment while I'm up there.
 
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