# Sub panel placement



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

cayuga said:


> I am in nw PA and use nec 2005. I am working on upgrading a res structure. Currently has emt conduit "mast" with se cable that then goes underground to the back of the house, pops back up going into the meter, then through the wall into the laundry to a 100a pushmatic. By the way, washer hose bibs make it hard to open the door to reset any breaker.
> 
> Customer has agreed to a service upgrade. I am putting new mast to meter( now at front of house) with a built in service disconnect(200a). from there going in the house into a new Sub panel.
> 
> My problem is plans that the plans provided to the inspector show the room (6'x 7') as closet. I have the required working space around the sub panel (110.26 2005 nec). Is there something I am missing other than the plans are labeled closet?


You're walking a very fine line, some inspectors will let this fly, some will not, but I usually remove the rod from the closet, so they can't call it a clothes closet. It can be a "closet", or "electrical closet", but it can't be a clothes closet. 






*240.24 Location in or on Premises.*​ 
*(A) Accessibility. *
​​Overcurrent devices shall be readily accessible​
and shall be installed so that the center of the grip
of the operating handle of the switch or circuit breaker,
when in its highest position, is not more than 2.0 m (6 ft 7 in.)
above the floor or working platform, unless one of the following
applies:
(1) For busways, as provided in 368.17(C).
(2) For supplementary overcurrent protection, as described
in 240.10.
(3) For overcurrent devices, as described in 225.40 and
230.92.
(4) For overcurrent devices adjacent to utilization equipment
that they supply, access shall be permitted to be
by portable means.​​*(B) Occupancy. *​

​​Each occupant shall have ready access to​
all overcurrent devices protecting the conductors supplying
that occupancy, unless otherwise permitted in 240.24(B)(1)
and (B)(2).​​*(1) Service and Feeder Overcurrent Devices. *​

​​Where​
electric service and electrical maintenance are provided by
the building management and where these are under continuous
building management supervision, the service overcurrent
devices and feeder overcurrent devices supplying more than
one occupancy shall be permitted to be accessible only to
authorized management personnel in the following:
(1) Multiple-occupancy buildings
(2) Guest rooms or guest suites​​*(2) Branch-Circuit Overcurrent Devices. *​

​​Where electric​
service and electrical maintenance are provided by the
building management and where these are under continuous
building management supervision, the branch-circuit
overcurrent devices supplying any guest rooms or guest
suites without permanent provisions for cooking shall be
permitted to be accessible only to authorized management
personnel.​​*(C) Not Exposed to Physical Damage. *​

​​Overcurrent devices​
shall be located where they will not be exposed to
physical damage.​​FPN: See 110.11, Deteriorating Agents.
*(D) Not in Vicinity of Easily Ignitible Material. *​

​​Overcurrent​
devices shall not be located in the vicinity of easily
ignitible material, such as in clothes closets.
​*(E) Not Located in Bathrooms. *​

​​In dwelling units and​
guest rooms or guest suites of hotels and motels, overcurrent
devices, other than supplementary overcurrent protection,
shall not be located in bathrooms.​​*(F) Not Located over Steps. *​

​​Overcurrent devices shall not
be located over steps of a stairway.​


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## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

Can you just go exterior with meter and panel? J-box at old sub and bring circuits to exterior?


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## Pete m. (Nov 19, 2011)

Did I read that correctly? EMT mast then ran underground in EMT with SE cable within it? If that be the case I think there may be more to consider than just where the sub-panel is located.

Pete


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

cayuga said:


> I am in nw PA and use nec 2005.


Not sure who gave you that bad information, but the PA UCC references the '08 NEC.

A panel can be in a closet. It just can't be in a clothes closet.


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## cayuga (Apr 9, 2012)

thanks for quick reply. no clothes are currently in there. it is a hall closet. shallow shelves on far wall and is 4' from the area where the panel will be located. Does 110.26 apply or am I mis-reading.


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## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

Pete m. said:


> Did I read that correctly? EMT mast then ran underground in EMT with SE cable within it? If that be the case I think there may be more to consider than just where the sub-panel is located.
> 
> Pete


Sounds like he's eliminating that crap Pete. New meter and disco in front.:thumbsup:


BTW, welcome to ET cayuga.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

cayuga said:


> thanks for quick reply. no clothes are currently in there. it is a hall closet. shallow shelves on far wall and is 4' from the area where the panel will be located. Does 110.26 apply or am I mis-reading.


Write the word "electrical" above the word "closet" on the plans you submit for review. I'm not kidding. It will now be the electrical closet. 

People do something similar when pulling sewer permits. That 3rd or 4th bedroom shows as "den" or something similar on the plans.


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## Pete m. (Nov 19, 2011)

3xdad said:


> Sounds like he's eliminating that crap Pete. New meter and disco in front.:thumbsup:
> 
> 
> BTW, welcome to ET cayuga.


Guess I didnt read it correctly then... . Thanks for the clarification.

Pete


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## cayuga (Apr 9, 2012)

in my area they adopted code a couple years ago, we still have Amish electricians here. It shows in what I have described.
I am going to the 2011 and skipping 2008. Just have not updated my book yet. 

I am redoing the entire service. weather head to new panel. 

"Whats wrong with SE underground in emt conduit. It makes my toes nice and warm and tingely"


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Pete m. said:


> Guess I didnt read it correctly then... . Thanks for the clarification.
> 
> Pete


 
Actualy Pete, I agree with you. It sounds like that will be refed from his panel. We need more info from the op


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## cayuga (Apr 9, 2012)

3xdad said:


> Can you just go exterior with meter and panel? J-box at old sub and bring circuits to exterior?


Personally I do not like the idea J-boxing the entire house right above the clothes washer, and really dont want to go outside in -0 and 5' snow drifts to flip a breaker. thanks though


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## cayuga (Apr 9, 2012)

mcclary's electrical said:


> Actualy Pete, I agree with you. It sounds like that will be refed from his panel. We need more info from the op


the pushmatic will be feed from the new panel on a temp basis until I get the house rewired.


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## cayuga (Apr 9, 2012)

I have replied four times and nothing has come through. now am testing to see if this goes through


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## 3xdad (Jan 25, 2011)

Yeah, kinda weird. The reply's weren't there, then suddenly they were in between our posts.

i think it's a post count thing. i think they have to be reviewed before showing up.


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