Clearance in front of electrical panel

[Ben J. Gromicko]

Does anyone have a good diagram or picture of the recommended/required clearance in front of a residential electrical panel?

[Mike Whitt]

Originally Posted by bgromicko

Does anyone have a good diagram or picture of the recommended/required clearance in front of a residential electrical panel?

36 inches in front of the panel enclosure mesuring from the enclosure door.




from side to side needs to be 30 inches with the hinged door swing to no less than 90 degrees



Hope this helps

[William E. Siegel]

Also try this one

[Michael R. Boyett]

...and this one:

[Speedy Petey]

Michael, do you know where that graphic came from? The side to side clearance is not nearly correct. Should be 30" wide (minimum) total.

I use the lower one Mike W posted. It shows all aspects clearly. I'm pretty sure it's a Mike Holt graphic.

[Joe Farsetta]

Did an inspection today. 600 Amps to this gigantic home.

Main panels did not meet the minimum clearances between.

One of the sub-panels had a 3-wire feed, with no metallic conduit between main and sub, and no 4th conductor. 120 and 240 volt circuits abound. Where's the ground. Neutral bar was isolated, BTW, so we've got THAT going for us

Inspection sticker proudly displayed.

What am I missing here?

Transformer on site. Water all around it. Conduit from transformer to inside of basement has water POURING from it, into 3'x3' distribution cabinet. BIG cables, and large metallic conductor bars. Meter is connected in parallel, and conduited outside.

Really dangerous situation with the water. Weep holes drilled in bottom of this cabinet for "drainage" Unfortunately, it drains directly onto two side-by-side disconnects to two more sub-panels elsewhere in the dwelling. Builder had electrical contractor try and fix problems. Dug trench at one side of xformer, no catch basin. No drain pipe. Caulked inside of conduit where it entered dwelling.

As to the pretty pictures, I do like the graphics, but it may only make us look stupid if we call these things out. Builder stated that house passed electrical inspection, and its not his problem.

[jtedesco1]

Originally Posted by Gromyko

Does anyone have a good diagram or picture of the recommended/required clearance in front of a residential electrical panel?

Ben:

Please do not use any of these images, most of which are copyrighted!

Find a refrigerator box, these dimentions are very much the same as for working spaces about electrical equipment.

The width at the working space is required to be at least 30 inches, and does not have to be centered.

In some cases there are rules that will allow less than the required height of 6' - 6"

[Michael R. Boyett]

Originally Posted by Speedy Petey

Michael, do you know where that graphic came from? The side to side clearance is not nearly correct. Should be 30" wide (minimum) total.

That graphic is from The Illustrated Home by Dearborn Publishing & Carson Dunlop 2003. Doesn't it show 30-36" clearance? I think I know what you are getting at but the other one shows the same thing, right?

[jtedesco1]

Originally Posted by jfarsetta

Did an inspection today. 600 Amps to this gigantic home.

Main panels did not meet the minimum clearances between.

One of the sub-panels had a 3-wire feed, with no metallic conduit between main and sub, and no 4th conductor. 120 and 240 volt circuits abound. Where's the ground. Neutral bar was isolated, BTW, so we've got THAT going for us

Inspection sticker proudly displayed.

What am I missing here?

Transformer on site. Water all around it. Conduit from transformer to inside of basement has water POURING from it, into 3'x3' distribution cabinet. BIG cables, and large metallic conductor bars. Meter is connected in parallel, and conduited outside.

Really dangerous situation with the water. Weep holes drilled in bottom of this cabinet for "drainage" Unfortunately, it drains directly onto two side-by-side disconnects to two more sub-panels elsewhere in the dwelling. Builder had electrical contractor try and fix problems. Dug trench at one side of xformer, no catch basin. No drain pipe. Caulked inside of conduit where it entered dwelling.

As to the pretty pictures, I do like the graphics, but it may only make us look stupid if we call these things out. Builder stated that house passed electrical inspection, and its not his problem.

I agree, did you see the empty envelope?

[jtedesco1]

Originally Posted by mboyett

That graphic is from The Illustrated Home by Dearborn Publishing & Carson Dunlop 2003. Doesn't it show 30-36" clearance? I think I know what you are getting at but the other one shows the same thing, right?

That image comes from the NECH and is the correct interpretation related to width. Note that all equipment doors are to be capable of opening to not less tha 90 degrees.

[Speedy Petey]

Originally Posted by mboyett

That graphic is from The Illustrated Home by Dearborn Publishing & Carson Dunlop 2003. Doesn't it show 30-36" clearance? I think I know what you are getting at but the other one shows the same thing, right?

The way I see your's is 30-36" on BOTH sides. It should be 30" minimum side to side total as the other graphic shows. The panel can be anywhere in that 30" space.

[Speedy Petey]

Originally Posted by jtedesco1

Find a refrigerator box, these dimentions are very much the same as for working spaces about electrical equipment.

You guys will just need to make some room in the back of your trucks to carry it around.

[jtedesco1]

Originally Posted by bgromicko

Does anyone have a good diagram or picture of the recommended/required clearance in front of a residential electrical panel?

Here's an interesting item, move the building in order to provide the necessary working space.



That space there in Boulder near the AC unit is just about right.

Listen to this guy too.

[Greg Fretwell]

Jim Pauley was the first one I heard use the refrigerator box analogy but it does work.