roof hatch and permanent ladder to equipment on flat roof - readily accessible?

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hansolar

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wanted to gauge if I should give up or continue to push back on reviewers determination that a panel board mounted on a wall on a flat commercial roof with parapets is not "readily accessible" We have a roof hatch and fixed ladder to roof. There are PV inverters next to the panel. working clearance is not an issue and handle heights are also within code.
We have a dedicated PV disconnect in the electrical room which is readily accessible, so I don't even think the panel board on the roof needs to be readily accessible but it would be better to set the precedent that the flat roof with fixed ladder and roof hatch does qualify as "readily accessible".
The fact that code definition for readily accessible specifically mentions not needing to resort to portable ladders would mean that a fixed ladder should be acceptable IMO
I think typically we would just roll with it and change plans to suit interpretation, but the panel was already installed and inspected under a previous permit that has closed and now we have a different reviewer - and there are also practical and safety reasons to have a means of disconnect within line of site of the inverters for service, not to mention 705.70..
I know this is a PV question but I think it applies to more than just inverters on a roof.
2017 code cycle here
thank you for all your thoughts.
 
May be an ADA thing they are using. Walmart has a lot of panels on the roof inside the refrigeration houses. Only way up there is the ladder to the roof hatch.
 
hansolar said:
wanted to gauge if I should give up or continue to push back on reviewers determination that a panel board mounted on a wall on a flat commercial roof with parapets is not "readily accessible" We have a roof hatch and fixed ladder to roof. There are PV inverters next to the panel. working clearance is not an issue and handle heights are also within code.
We have a dedicated PV disconnect in the electrical room which is readily accessible, so I don't even think the panel board on the roof needs to be readily accessible but it would be better to set the precedent that the flat roof with fixed ladder and roof hatch does qualify as "readily accessible".
The fact that code definition for readily accessible specifically mentions not needing to resort to portable ladders would mean that a fixed ladder should be acceptable IMO
I think typically we would just roll with it and change plans to suit interpretation, but the panel was already installed and inspected under a previous permit that has closed and now we have a different reviewer - and there are also practical and safety reasons to have a means of disconnect within line of site of the inverters for service, not to mention 705.70..
I know this is a PV question but I think it applies to more than just inverters on a roof.
2017 code cycle here
thank you for all your thoughts.
Click to expand...
I think you are right. It's readily accessible, even though it doesn't need to be.
 
thank you for the reassurances that I should feel comfortable pushing back on this
yes 400a 277/480 SS N3R with 3p200main and (2) 3p100 for each of the two 100kw pv inverters - load center and panel board can be interchanged but I would refer to a panel w bolt down breakers as a panelboard, especially at 480v
 
Load centers at that voltage would be hard to get anyway. I know Square D made some many years ago, but haven’t seen any in a long time that didn’t use bolt in breakers.
 
hillbilly1 said:
Load centers at that voltage would be hard to get anyway. I know Square D made some many years ago, but haven’t seen any in a long time that didn’t use bolt in breakers.
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To repeat, 'load center' is just a marketing term. Nothing to stop manufacturers from marketing 480V bolt-on panelboards as 'load centers'.
 
hansolar said:
- load center and panel board can be interchanged but I would refer to a panel w bolt down breakers as a panelboard, especially at 480v
Click to expand...
I agree, I always refer to a panelboard as a panelboard. ;) (Unless I shorten it to 'panel' or call it a 'subpanel' to distinguish it from service equipment.)
 
jaggedben said:
To repeat, 'load center' is just a marketing term. Nothing to stop manufacturers from marketing 480V bolt-on panelboards as 'load centers'.
Click to expand...
Go to the supply house and ask for a panelboard, and you will get a bolt-on panel, if you ask for a load center, you will get a plug in. Just the way it is, whether you like it or not! LOL!
 
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