ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area I-Line panel cover

I would like to know if the hinged covers are required on an I-Line panel? The panel has covers to protect people from touching live parts, except the panel blanks in a I-Line are plastic. The setup is similar to a QO panel with the hinged door. If someone could give me the code article to look at if this is a violation that would be great. Thanks in advance.........Brian

There is no national code requirement for doors over circuit breaker handles. In fact, I-Line panel sections in switchboards have never had seperate doors. UL and the NEC do not care about doors, all they want to see is dead-fronts. Of course, individual locations may have their own specifications/requirements.

[This message has been edited by JBD (edited 01-15-2003).]

Thanks for the reply back. That is kind of what I thought as in like you said large I-Line switch gear never has a cover over the breakers. This is a 800 amp panel and it has provisions for doors and all the panels like this one that I have installed have always had hinged doors on them. the only bad thing on this install is the panel is in a manufacturing plant and the plastic blanks in the panel are the only thing really protecting someone from hitting the 480V bus bar behing the plastic covers........Brian

ZR600:
I believe there are two types of I-Line covers.
One style is a one piece cover that has a door. (Like a regular QO Panel
The other style is four (4) pieces; one for each side, and one for the top and bottom.
Ate front of the breakers are "exposed"; but NO live parts are exposed.

As to the I-Line blanks; if you have the factory (Sq D) parts; they are approved as "blanks; to cover spaces that no branch cb's are installed in"

The parts are all UL listed for there specific usage. Make sure you install the screws that mount the blanks into the panel.

If there is major concern about the plastic blanks, you could suggest that "spare" I-Line cb's are installed, but thats $$$

John

I recently worked on a 800 amp I Line that had a "standard" 1 piece cover with 2 hinged doors.

It was about 4' wide, 6' tall and close to 3/16" thick, to heavy for one guy, I was missing the four piece covers.

Square D used to make one piece covers as standard. They usually required two people for installation.

Back in 1994 (or so) they introduced the 4 piece trim without door for panels 32" or wider. The one piece unit was an option.

Around 1997, they came out with a 5 piece trim as an option. This is the standard 4 piece trim with a door, actually two doors on the larger panels. You can order the door only kit as an adder for installation on existing 4 piece trims.

JBD:
That's what I like about this site...
Ya learn something new everyday.

Now I know that Sq D has optional doors for I-lines

John