Using panel enclosure for junction box

[alaskaee]

In a house with several old 100-amp 120/240-volt load centers (two Zinsco and one with no label that uses GE circuit breakers), with lots of single and tandem (wafer) circuit breakers. flush mounted in masonry walls, for which there are no available parts that in addition to lacking covers have numerous code violations, the owner wants to install a new electric service and consolidate all the circuits into one new 42-pole, 225 amp 120/240-volt electric load center connected to a new 225-amp service entrance.



To connect the existing load center circuits to the new load center, it requires that the buses (Power, neutral and ground) along with the associated circuit breakers and existing service conductors from the meter removed, from the existing load centers, and replaced with junction blocks and new neutral and ground buses. The existing branch circuit conductors would them be connected to the load side of the junction blocks and the associated neutral and ground buses. Conductors connected to the new N&G buses in the gutted load center that would be connected to the N&G buses in the new load center.



The existing branch circuits would be fed from by conductors between the line side of the junction blocks and circuit breakers in the new load center that would run in a wireway or conduits between the new load center and the old load centers entering through a 18 gauge fabricated steel box extender ring attached with screws to the face of the exiting load center enclosure with a screw attached fabricated 18 gauge steel cover.



Replacing the existing branch circuit conductors entering the existing load centers and replacing them with new load centers is not a viable option.



Question: Is this a code legal way to rewire this house?



Question: If not how should this be done?

 

[jimwalker]

Re: Using panel enclosure for junction box

Can we alter a UL aproved box ? legally ?

 

[petersonra]

Re: Using panel enclosure for junction box

I read your post several times. I'm not quite sure what you want to do, but it seems you want to use the shell of the old panelboards as junction boxes, and modify them as needed to accomplish this.

I don't think there is anything inherently unsafe about doing this, but you should probably get some kind of dispensation from your AHJ before proceding.

<added> I would be a little nervous about splicing in the GEC through terminal blocks. I seem to recall that is required to be a continuous piece of wire.

<added> Another thing has occured to me. If you do this, won't you end up with service conductors in the same raceway as other conductors? I seem to recall there is some issue with that as well. maybe you could install a disconnect switch above the point where the service conductors go into the old panelboards and make that the new service point.

[ March 19, 2005, 08:26 AM: Message edited by: petersonra ]

 

[kilewatt2002]

Re: Using panel enclosure for junction box

Read your article a couple of times.
You( can not )have broken service wires
period. You can use the old pannel boxxes as junction & pull boxxes, just remember to bond all the pannels together with #4 & be sure that
everything has a cover that is removeable.
If it were me Id remove those old pannels, concrete or not; not an easy job but it is more professional.
Residental is a pain no matter how you look at it

 

[George Stolz]

Re: Using panel enclosure for junction box

Originally posted by petersonra:
I would be a little nervous about splicing in the GEC through terminal blocks. I seem to recall that is required to be a continuous piece of wire.

See 250.64 for restrictions.

Another thing has occured to me. If you do this, won't you end up with service conductors in the same raceway as other conductors?

If so, see NEC-2005 230.7.

[ March 19, 2005, 12:23 PM: Message edited by: georgestolz ]