Services Panel Location

Hey gang, need some help. I am doing the basement over and in a small room that abuts the stairway coming from upstairs they have the panel on the far left of that wall which is against the stairway stringer. I want to use the space taken by the panel. I was thinking I could just turn the panel around to face the space under the stringers which would allow me to use that wall. It would be at the high point of the stringer and there is no door under the stairs so access would not be a problem. My concern is there would only be about 12 inches above the top of the panel on one side but there would be about 18 inches to the stringer on the other. Based on there being 3 feet in front of the panel(thats the width of the staircase and no door on it) would that be okay by code? There is plenty of space under the stringer and I could mount it the same height that it is currently at. Question 2 is, I may be able to move it to an adjoing wall but I would have to raise it about 6 inches to accomadate the existing wires length coming into the box. What is the maximum height off the floor that you can start the panel (bottom of panel to floor). Thx

 

I dont see a problem,, there is something about side clearance too but I dont think you are in danger of violating it. I dont think there is a rule about height except that it should be at least 18 inches off the floor,, something about gas appliances. The heigth shoud be good working height,, so a guy isnt bent over working on a panel. I dont have a code book here but it does get quoted on it once in a while in this forum.

 

You must have 6.5 feet of headroom where the panel is. 2002 NEC article 110.26(E).

 

Thanks for the input, if I leave the panel where it is just want to verify clearance. Panel is in a room thats 105" long by 7' wide. Envision the 105" wall with the breaker panel on the left side about 6 inches of the left wall. If I understand I need 30" from the left wall (not the right side of the panel) for side clearance. I would build a 27" wall starting at 30" from the left wall perpendicular as I want to put a refrigerator there with a wet bar sink and cabinets beside it. So I would have the panel, a wall jutting out 27" that starts 30" from the left wall, refrigerator and sink. Is this okay, everything sheetrocked of course.

 

Originally posted by John Nelson
"You must have 6.5 feet of headroom where the panel is. 2002 NEC article

John
The exception would appear to fit here in that he is talking about an existing dwelling. I would think it true however that any change could not make a presently compliant installation need the exception when it did not need it before.
--
Tom

110.26(E)."
110.26 Spaces About Electrical Equipment.
Sufficient access and working space shall be provided and maintained about all electric equipment to permit ready and safe operation and maintenance of such equipment. Enclosures housing electrical apparatus that are controlled by lock and key shall be considered accessible to qualified persons.
(E) Headroom. The minimum headroom of working spaces about service equipment, switchboards, panelboards, or motor control centers shall be 2.0 m (6½ ft). Where the electrical equipment exceeds 2.0 m (6½ ft) in height, the minimum headroom shall not be less than the height of the equipment.
Exception: In existing dwelling units, service equipment or panelboards that do not exceed 200 amperes shall be permitted in spaces where the headroom is less than 2.0 m (61/2 ft).

 

Tom, thanks for the note. Yes, I would agree with you that the exception does seem to apply here. I didn't even read that exception before my prior post.

 

Would the 6'-5" rule prohibit installing a sub-panel in a 2nd. floor laundry room with an 8 ft. ceiling.? Just had the "final" on a house with this situation.

 

No, because 8 is greater than 6.5 (did I misunderstand your question?).

 

IS "head-room" the dimension from the top of the panel to the ceiling?

 

No. Headroom is the distance from the surface you stand on to the ceiling overhead.