service panel location

[jagster]

Can't find code fault with a panel located in an interior wall (2x4), my concern is the ser cable and all the individual circuit feeds going up from the top of the box and the possibility of damage due to lack of depth in a 2x4 wall. Any thought or suggestions...Thanks Joe

 

[iwire]

Joe that is a very standard installation.

 

[JohnJ0906]

I've done this many times. I like to nailplate both sides where the wire come in at the top of the wall, just to be sure.

 

[mdshunk]

I've done this many times. I like to nailplate both sides where the wire come in at the top of the wall, just to be sure.

If the exterior wall finish is not installed yet (such as vinyl siding), I often go outside and mark out a rectangle on the wall where the panel is mounted and write "electrical panel" right on the housewrap. I've had sidewallers run nails right into the back of my panels. If I have a nice bundle of cables in a particular bay, even if my clearances are observed, I sometimes write "wires" on the housewrap in case the other trades might take a notion to use extra long nails.

 

[mdshunk]

Or even care... get-r-done

Do you run into people like that? What I mean to say, is that I hear of groups of people generically being accused of not caring, but I have never met such a person. Granted, some people's level of care may be more or less than another's. I don't believe that I've ever run into a tradesman of any trade that I would say totally "didn't care". So far, so good.

 

[stickboy1375]

The only trade I work with that I dislike are the insulators, and like a previous post said its a language barrier. I don't think they do anything deliberately, but you just can't explain it too them either... I've had wires for vanity lites end up in the wrong room, Insulation installed within 3 inches of a TC recessed can... the list goes on, but I've never come across a job where someone purposely caused damage to my work... thank god...

 

[allenwayne]

My pet peeve is with stucco crews.They seem to take great pride in filling exterior boxes slap full of the stuff.Especially coach lights, have tried surface mounting(on poured cells) They won`t float to the edge of the box leaving a pancake box sticking out of the stucco.When chipped flush they fill the entire box up.

Years ago they were required when using stucco to have at least I believe it was 1/2 in thick stucco.But now they call it cementious fiber coating and all they do is skim coat so a surface box sticks out.

Receptacle boxes are the worst, they cram as much stucco into the box as they can covering the box.I have beat the heck out of a wall finding a box.

 

[hillbilly]

Can't find code fault with a panel located in an interior wall (2x4), my concern is the ser cable and all the individual circuit feeds going up from the top of the box and the possibility of damage due to lack of depth in a 2x4 wall. Any thought or suggestions...Thanks Joe

The cables have to be protected when they pass thru any framing members if they (the edges of the hole) are less than 1 1/4" from the surface of the member.
As far as protection between the studs, etc, ...they're on their own...not protected.

After the insulation is installed in a 2x4 stud wall, most conductors will be touching the drywall or the outer sheathing on one side or the other of the insulation....really close to the surface. To my knowledge, this is allowed by code (not prohibited).

Most home construction around here is 2x4 wood studs with 7/16 OSB sheathing and NMB wiring. The framers should not use any nails longer than 1 3/4" long to attach the OSB.

A skilled carpenter knows this.

If I'm around when they're framing (usually am a time or two), I check the nail length and "educate" the framers about nail penetration depth and exactly what they might hit (my wiring, plumbing, etc.) if the nails are too long.

Kinda like "a ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" type reasoning.

If I have any doubts, I'll walk thru the house and "tug" at the wire where it passes thru the studs, checking for nail penetration.

The thing that bothers me most is a nail gun in the wrong hands.
The carpenter doesn't know (cant tell) whether he's hitting a stud or not.
If he misses the stud, he may run a whole row of nails thru the sheathing and never hit the stud.
Even if he re-nails it, he doesn't pull the missed nails.

If this happens on a stud that has wire stapled to it, you may have 10 or 12 exposed nails that you have to remove or else the cable will be touching them
If you don't pull them, the insulator may push the cable against the nails, and that can create a future problem.
Even if the nail penetrates the wire insulation, it won't always cause a (recognizable) problem.

I'd hazard a guess that it happens pretty regularly and is never known unless it goes between (and makes contact) with a hot and one of the grounds.
With the requirement to use AFCI breakers, it's a big problem if it makes contact with any two of the conductors, and is difficult to find if the drywall is already installed.
As I said, it's worth checking before the drywall.
Just a few thoughts
steve

 

[Bob NH]

If the exterior wall finish is not installed yet (such as vinyl siding), I often go outside and mark out a rectangle on the wall where the panel is mounted and write "electrical panel" right on the housewrap. . . . If I have a nice bundle of cables in a particular bay, even if my clearances are observed, I sometimes write "wires" on the housewrap in case the other trades might take a notion to use extra long nails.

I might write:
DANGER
240 VOLT WIRES

 

[mdshunk]

I might write:
DANGER
240 VOLT WIRES

Danger, Danger! Maybe draw a little pic of this too:

 

[jagster]

Thanks for all the replies, I'm not sure the picture is clear however. The wall is an interior wall, due to the design of the home the panel is to be located 16feet from meter base. From the required safety switch the closest allowable location for the panel is a hallway wall which is 2x4 construction. My worry is someone hanging a picture or shelving and hitting the ser cable or even the romex feeds, I considered using sheet metal on both sides of the wall above the panel. Really appreciate your time, I havent' had this scenario before.
Joe

 

[JohnJ0906]

I don't think this is too much out of the ordinary. Nailplate librally, even if you meet the 1 1/4 inch clearance, and you shoud be OK. I have done this before with no problem.

 

[iwire]

The wall is an interior wall, due to the design of the home the panel is to be located 16feet from meter base. From the required safety switch the closest allowable location for the panel is a hallway wall which is 2x4 construction. My worry is someone hanging a picture or shelving and hitting the ser cable or even the romex feeds, I considered using sheet metal on both sides of the wall above the panel. Really appreciate your time, I havent' had this scenario before.
Joe

Joe again I will point out this is a very typical installation.

Where do you usually see your panels?

The reason a residential load center is 14.5" wide x 3.5" deep is specifically so it can be mounted in typical 2" x 4" construction.

 

[mattsilkwood]

do it all the time no worries