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Posted By: Reel-Break Heating panel for branch circuits?? - 04/04/02 01:52 PM
Recently a freind of mine had some outlets added to her home. The elctrician hooked the outlets to the heating panel under the house is this code compliant?One tripped and I crawled under to find it. after pulling all the rec. out of the wall and finding nothing wrong.No breakers tripped I figured bad connection under house thats when I found tripped breaker in the heating panel
Thanks.
Posted By: WARREN1 Re: Heating panel for branch circuits?? - 04/04/02 10:11 PM
Are you saying the heating panel is a sub-panel of the main panel, and it is in a "crawl space"? Violation of several parts of Art. 110-26, if I were the inspector. And there may be other violations as well.
Posted By: Reel-Break Re: Heating panel for branch circuits?? - 04/05/02 01:28 PM
Yes the panel is located under the house right beside the heating unit.Its a sub panel and has 4 wire se cable feeding it.
Posted By: Tom Re: Heating panel for branch circuits?? - 04/06/02 11:55 PM
Warren,

What part(s) of 110-26 is being violated? I don't think there is enough info here to say for sure.

Tom
Posted By: tdhorne Re: Heating panel for branch circuits?? - 04/13/02 04:42 PM
No it is not "good practice" but as you can see from the code section copied below it is code compliant.
--
Tom

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).
Posted By: Glenn Re: Heating panel for branch circuits?? - 04/14/02 01:43 AM
Was the heating panel added to an existing dwelling or was the heating panel part of the original construction?
Posted By: Reel-Break Re: Heating panel for branch circuits?? - 04/15/02 01:12 PM
This was an existing service panel installed when the home was built. 100amp .
Hey Tom if I`m reading it right on your post above You can add a sub panel in a crawl space? Not that I would, but didn`t think it would be allowed.Seems like the home owner would be really to have crwl under and shut down a breaker.And Tom thanks for always posting the code articals it has really helped me learn and do a better job
Posted By: Tom Re: Heating panel for branch circuits?? - 04/15/02 05:21 PM
Yes, you could install a sub-panel in a crawlspace & Glenn is on the right track.

The reason I said there wsn't enough information to determine if this is a code violation is we don't know when the panel was installed. Installed in new construction = violation, added after construction it is a real poor installation, but in compliance with the (lack of) headroom requirement.

Tom O
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