ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Post Katrina work

SteveFehr quote:
Nope, no walls or separation like that in the US, it's all just jammed in there pretty much however the installer feels like. In fact, this is the first time I've ever heard of that! How does that work, doesn't that really put a crimper on how you can route cables into the panel?

Big time! You can only terminate a cable through the knockouts below the main breaker. Cannot come through the top. Only the mains and the main ground can be in there. In the installation you show, we would have to bring all those NM's around and through ko's on the side or bottom of the panel. Mabey even install the panel upside down?

Les told me once about an inspector that would not allow the feed to come into the bottom of the panel with the main breaker at the top. Said it violated the part about keeping the unfused cable as short as practical.

Is there some code referance for this top/bottom or branch/service conductor mixing, or what KO they came through?

Mark they are talking about some Canadian rules.

Their service conductors must be enclosed even with the cover off the rest of the panel.

I will try to dig up a photo.

Yes, the feeders are in the same panel, but I run mine BEHIND the branches. Having the feeders on top of everything like that makes service a nightmare.

As for the 2"(?) PVC feed-through-style connector - no way. Everybody has covered that problem in this thread. Would never pass here - very cheezy.

If the building layout dictates that the feeder needs to come at the bottom of the panel, why not just mount the panel with the main at the bottom?

...but then the sticker on the door would be upside-down!

NM cables entering through the top violate Section 312.5 C of the 2005 NEC.
The instalation should not be approved.
Alan--

I can reiterate what has been said re the Canadian way.
A service entry section of a panel used as service entrance can have only the service conductors installed. No Branch wiring at all. There is also a requirement here for the main breaker section to have its own barrier as the conductors are still hot even with the switch off. The panel could have been installed with the main section at the bottom. I had a guy from Arizona use a 2" PVC connector for all the branch wiring and I rejected it as there needs to be a connector terminating each cable. That method is going to permit rodents getting in the panel, I also don't like using staples as strain relief since staples are not supposed to be driven hard enough to grip the wire so the branch wires could be pulled out of the panel or tight against the terminals. It does appear to me that this type if cable entry is a lot more common than I believed.

To be honest, the panel in my house has all the (original) RX coming in one 2" connector. It has been that way since I got here and I haven't had a compelling reason to fix it.
I do have a new panel sitting there but I haven't had the ambition to tackle it.
Some day I guess.