Receptacle mounted on Panelboard

[templdl]

I find it very clear, I don't see how there is any confusion at all give the OPs post.




To me that says he intends the back side of the 4" square box to be screwed to the side of the panel.

If he meant mounted to the wall beside the panel I don't think he would have said mounted to the panel.


Maybe it is clear to me because I have done it many times.

I've done it countless times myself but I'm a little gun shy and have learned not to assume anything whne it comes to electrical installations and equipment. I've made it a practice to assure that the person asking the question and I are on the same page,m that there are no gray areas that are prone to be misinterpreted.
The OP did not include that there was an offset being used to connect the box to the panel and that he was securing the box to the wall.
"Is it acceptable to mount a 4"square box (for a receptacle) to the side of the surface mounted Panelboard?"
It could also describe a basic nipple with the 4x4 box hanging in the air which meets the discription of the OP. The it wouldn't be acceptable.

 

[Ranger86]

Sorry, it took me a while to get back to you guys, I was away Friday and was tied up in meetings all day today. But, here is more info... There is no offset nipple, I believe they used a chase nipple (hopeing they did). The back of the 4"square box is directly mounted to the side of the panelboard. I was unavailable to remove covers since they don't let us engineers carry any tools and we also have a very strict LOTO policy. I don't know if they used self tapping sheet metal screws or if they drilled and used nut & bolts to support the 4"square box from the panelboard box. I was asked to do a visual inspection on the installation. I am thinking of telling them to remove covers so I can check everything.

 

[templdl]

Sorry, it took me a while to get back to you guys, I was away Friday and was tied up in meetings all day today. But, here is more info... There is no offset nipple, I believe they used a chase nipple (hopeing they did). The back of the 4"square box is directly mounted to the side of the panelboard. I was unavailable to remove covers since they don't let us engineers carry any tools and we also have a very strict LOTO policy. I don't know if they used self tapping sheet metal screws or if they drilled and used nut & bolts to support the 4"square box from the panelboard box. I was asked to do a visual inspection on the installation. I am thinking of telling them to remove covers so I can check everything.

Great, thanks for the description. Should the box be securily attached the the panel at least you are not relying on the ring nuts which could come loose should the box be twisted.
But, is the use of self tapping screws allowed as an exceptable method of securing the box to the banel? I would like to say the it is acceptable but I can't find a reference to say that it is.

 

[Ranger86]

The main reason I did not like this installation is because there will be screws sticking into the panelboard but on the other hand, if the wiring inside the panelboard is neatly tucked away (tie wrapped) then there should not be any issues. Do you guys agree with this? I am going to tell them to open up everything so I can see exactly what they did, this may take some time because they have to do a bunch of paperwork before doing anything around here.