use of old equipment as junction boxes

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ricry

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Does code allow the use of an unused subpanel as a junction box?

Breakers would be removed and I assume both the ground and neutral bus bars would also be removed. In this case there was a slot in the front cover for two breaker spaces which would also have to be covered.

I suspect this is wrong since it is not listed for such a use.
 
ricry said:
Does code allow the use of an unused subpanel as a junction box?

Breakers would be removed and I assume both the ground and neutral bus bars would also be removed. In this case there was a slot in the front cover for two breaker spaces which would also have to be covered.

I suspect this is wrong since it is not listed for such a use.
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No different than splicing in panel, so yes you can use it as junction box.
 
Fasten the hinged cover closed with a nut and bolt. I like to also add a sign "Electrical junction box, no user serviceable parts". Not required.
 
jumper said:
No. If you can splice in a live panel enclosure why would you not be able to in dead one. It is just a steel box.
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The live box has a pair of breakers poking through the cover. Removing the breakers leaves a hole in the cover, said hole has to be closed somehow. That amounts to modifying the cover. Does that affect the UL listing?

It may be the case that the manufacturer can supply a blank cover and remove this question.
 
gadfly56 said:
The live box has a pair of breakers poking through the cover. Removing the breakers leaves a hole in the cover, said hole has to be closed somehow. That amounts to modifying the cover. Does that affect the UL listing?

It may be the case that the manufacturer can supply a blank cover and remove this question.
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Filler plates.
 
What about reusing the bussbars, instead of splicing? Very convenient to place the neutrals and egc but again, not its intended use.

Also, would you consider this "neat and good workmanship"?
 
ActionDave said:
Removing a knock out alters the panel, screwing in a ground bar alters the panel, adding a breaker alters the panel......
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Nearly anything you might do could be viewed as altering the enclosure. The question is, is that alteration recognized as a part of its listing?
 
It's just an electrical cabinet

It's just an electrical cabinet

Something you buy with buss bars and ground bars in it is really just an electrical cabinet. I have turned them into junction boxes many times.

Keep the ground bar and use it.

Holes in cabinets should be filled with something of equal or greater thickness than what you're filling.

Sounds like your existing cabinet has an open front with no door.....bolt a 1900 cover over the open breaker spaces (not the prettiest, but effective).
 
ricry said:
What about reusing the bussbars, instead of splicing? Very convenient to place the neutrals and egc but again, not its intended use.
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You can use the terminal bars for grounds but not for neutrals. Neutrals for multiple circuits cannot be combined.
 
Coppersmith said:
You can use the terminal bars for grounds but not for neutrals. Neutrals for multiple circuits cannot be combined.
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The OP notes there are only two OCPD in this enclosure, so, in my mind, it is reasonable to see the feeder supplying the panel as a Multiwire. I'd likely wirenut the neutrals, in this instance, because I honestly cannot recall a little two pole panel that ever had a floating neutral bus that wasn't part of the energized buss assembly.

But, if the neutral bus does stay, it would have to be securely isolated electrically from the EGC. The feeder becomes a multiwire branch circuit.
 
Fwiw, Al is correct... The circuit will be a mwbc and the neutral bus is molded into the same plastic assembly as the lugs/breaker slots.

In that case, do you think its a poor idea to repurpose the neutral buss?
 
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