W cable entering the bottom of a panelboard

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oldsparky52

Senior Member
Location
Wilmington, NC USA
New concrete dock is planned to be installed. The panel has cable entry area on the bottom of 30" x 10". The panel is a floor mount and will fit over an access area (depression/hole in the concrete dock, chases from there to the power centers to install the W cables will be under the concrete).

The problem is the connectors for these cables are so large that we cannot get all the connectors into the 30" x 10" area (for those that want to know, (4) 350kcmil, (6) #3/0, (10) #2, (1) #6, all 4-cond, Blk,Red,White,Green).

One possible solution would be to install a tight fitting chase nipple in the bottom of the enclosure and then wire tie the cable to a support in the bottom of the panel to keep it stationary. I think that would meet the intent of the code for not allowing tension to be passed onto the terminations, but ........ seems shoddy.

If shoddy is the only way we can get this installed, do you believe the NEC would allow it or no?

I'm going to try to sketch this up and visit the AHJ on Friday, but I sure would like to hear y'all opinions before I go. You know I lack self confidence :happysad:
 
We do this all the time in open bottom industrial gear where the cables are run under the gear (such as in cable tray below the floor).
 
Smart $ said:
We do this all the time in open bottom industrial gear where the cables are run under the gear (such as in cable tray below the floor).
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Since this is not an open bottom, I think at least I need to install a chase nipple for chaffing protection, and then somehow secure the cable so it can't pull out (even though it never should because it's all enclosed in under concrete chases. Do you think using heavy duty tie wraps would suffice? I'm at the point I don't much care what it would look like because no one would every see it.

Thanks,
 
There is no requirement that says you can't make the panel open bottom... or make a big hole. With "the hole" being effectively rendered inaccessible without removing of a cover of some sort, the requirement to close openings is not applicable where the enclosure transitions to the depression/chases, IMO and YMMV with AHJ.
 
Is it not possible to chase nipple a large junction box to the back or side of the panel to give you more room for cables to terminate? I use gutter all the time for this reason.
 
Cow said:
Is it not possible to chase nipple a large junction box to the back or side of the panel to give you more room for cables to terminate? I use gutter all the time for this reason.
Click to expand...

Not really. I'm having a hard time getting the dock manufacturer to give me the 30 x 10 opening in the dock.
 
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