ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Service panels

I've done it many times.
If the foundation in a basement comes up too high, you may not be able to mount the panel vertically and still meet the top breaker's height requirement of 1.7m, without building out a wall...

And the odd service upgrade. If the old panel was sideways, then often the new one is too. Branch ccts can fit right back where they were. ETC.

I've only ever been asked WHY? once by a customer. And the foundation/breaker height was the reason.

Subpanel feeds don't need a guard, so I get happy when I can bring the feeder cable in anywhere at the panel. It's like a friggin treat for me.

I like and dislike the guard rule...
It can be a drag for fishing into the attic when the main breaker is at the top. No branch ccts allowed through there. Or down when it's mounted down.
But it's nice to have that area sealed off when I'm tying in branch ccts. Hydro doesn't have a breaker that I can reach to turn their service off, so the guard is nice.

Though I think it can be important to have a hazard near by that can bite, then you are always careful. Careful skill.
Either way.

I am not sure if I would like the guarded main or not. I have been doing electrical for 30 plus years and always worked around the unguarded main. You learn real quick how to be careful around those wires. You always try to work with the power off, but sometimes you can't. We have wrapped rubber "blankets" around the main conductors so that we don't touch them. I also gave up wearing my wedding band for all the years I was an electrician. The band would not be on at all during the day and I only wore it when I wasn't working.