Locating Main Service Panel


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Old 11-14-00, 08:16 AM
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I have a question for the folks who know the NEC better than me. Is there any restriction on the placement of the main breaker panel in relation to outside doors and/or windows? This is new construction, an ideal placement for convenience would be between an outside door and window. What is minimum distance, if any, specified by code?
 
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Old 11-14-00, 03:30 PM
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Assuming that there is nothing special about the area between the door and window, that portion of the placement is fine.
The NEC does state that the main disconnect must be within 6ft of the meter. Do consider this part or the equation..
Normally the placement of the meter determines the location of the main disconnect or visa-versa. If this is the main panel, this applies if the panel contains the primary disconnect for the building.

gj
 
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Old 11-14-00, 04:29 PM
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WhiI agree with most of what GreenJacket says, I have to disagree with his statement about the distance away the main disconnect can be. There is no distance given in the NEC. There might be, and should be, local regulations on this, but as far as the NEC is concerned, the main disconnect shall be installed at a readily accessible location either outside of a building or structure or inside nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors.

In my area, we try to keep the length of se conductor to a 5' maximum. I have read where some locations allow up to 25'. One point to remember, these se conducors are UN-FUSED, which means that if a short occurs, there will be no overcurrent protective device that will open.

As far as between the window and the door, as long as the working clearances will be complied with, and you are not installing the panel in a bathroom, you should be alright doing it. (working clearance is 36" deep - or in front of the panel- and at least 30" wide, also in front of, up to a height of 6'6", minimum.

Hope this helps. Rick Miell
 
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Old 11-15-00, 05:45 AM
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Rick's right, the NEC doesn't give a quantitative distance. In my area, central New York, my utility told me that inspectors "like to see 5 to 7 feet" from the point of entry. I followed this advice when I upgraded my own service recently, and my inspector, a gentleman from the New York Board of Fire Underwriters, later confirmed this when he passed my installation.

JH

[This message has been edited by JuiceHead (edited November 15, 2000).]
 
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Old 11-15-00, 06:05 AM
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Thanks for the info, folks. The area I am planning to use is inside the same wall where I expect the meter to be placed outside, so no problem there. I just don't want to run a whole bunch of wires to one location, and then have to move it. We'll double check with the local inspector first of course. I could not remember anything in the code, but there is a minimum distance for outlets from exterior doors, so I wondered.

This is going to be in a bedroom that has a door onto a deck. Working clearance is no problem. The exterior door will be about 3 to 4 feet away, depending on which stud bay I choose.
 
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Old 11-16-00, 02:03 PM
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The previous replies are my main grip!

Boy did I get your attention?

Really, they are all exactly right. 6'/10'/25' etc.

My gripe is that several areas in the NEC leaves it to the judgement of the authority having juisdiction.

The actual wording of the NEC states the the main overcurrent device must be located NEAREST POINT OF ENTRANCE OF THE STRUCTURE.

Now that is a firm statement that is desinged to be used as a law!

My jurisdiction limits the distance to 3' because I said so! Really what I did was research other jurisdictions in the area and most said 3' so I declared the same for my jurisdiction.

The problem with that type of statement in the NEC is just what these guys are saying. You can hear almost any distance through out the electrical industry because of the vague statement. Sorry bout that.

NOw you stated that you have a deck near you service. There is a requirement of a distance to be maintained around the drip leg of an above ground service riser at the weatherhead.

You are required to maintain a 3' clearance away from the drip loop of the riser on the service where the utility company squeezes on there wires. This 3' clearance must be maintained from the sides and bottoms of any window or door that opens, and also the 3' is required away from any deck, stoop, porch or the like.

Only 6" is required clearance away from the top of the doors or windows.

The purpose of this rule is to keep that weatherhead drip loop connection away from reach of unqualified people.

Good Luck

Wg
 
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Old 11-17-00, 07:16 AM
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Way to go WG. Any wonder why the presidential election has had it's problems?

One word of caution on your words "NEAREST THE POINT OF ENTRANCE", you need to complete this statement the way the NEC does.

"nearest the point of entrance OF THE SERVICE CONDUCTORS"

To leave out that part, one might get the idea that the "point of entrance" is requiring it to be located close to a door, thereby taking away from the real meaning, to limit the length of unprotected conductors inside a building.

Rick Miell
 
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Old 11-17-00, 08:35 AM
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Thanks WG, for the elaboration. If the wires come in overhead (we will be requesting underground) there should be no problem with clearances from any weatherhead. The panel could be as close as directly inside the wall from the meter. The wire distance would be closer to 1 foot than 3 feet I would think. I'm not sure it will actually be that close, but it easily could be.
 
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Old 11-19-00, 07:24 AM
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I might need to elbaborate a bit more. As RickM says we might cause misunderstanding.

There is no clearance requirements to meet for the meterbase if underground lateral fed.

You mentioned the panel. There is minimimum requirements on the panel. The main service panel [distribution panel serving the house with breaker] must maintain a 30" dedicated wall space for this panel. There is also a requirement in existing houses of 30" clear approach from ceiling to floor with the exception of service related equipemnt such as transformers, electrical ducts, etc. [electrical equipment only allowed in this area] Now this means in laymen's terms that if you could put an imaginary refrigerator box where you are putting your service panel and it is backed by the wall at least as wide as the rifrigerator box and you can still walk up to that refrigerator box then you are allowed to put that service rated panel there as long as this panel is not located in a bathroom, or clothes closet.

Now the hieght is as follows; Main breaker of panel is not allowed installed with the main breaker more the 6 1/2' from finished floor or landing. The minimum hieght is required installed so that no breaker is within reach of small children. [about half way between your waist and knees.

Remember to check with you local electrical inspector for any local laws and their interpretation of the NEC.

Good luck

Wg
 
 

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