ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Panel in bedroom

MX, your argument makes no sense at all. You base your panel location on the size of the load? What the heck does that have do do with a major failure. Why would a lightly loaded panel be ok in one bdedroom but not a master bedroom. Thank god most guys don't bother submitting code chnge proposals because there are some real oddball ideas out there. I can see it now. All residential loadcenters shall be installed in a NASA approved explosionproof vault. The good news is we work from the NEC and therfore I can put as many panels in bedrooms as i would like.

Mx - I agree with electricman. What does the load have to do with the location ?
Why would you prefer it in another bedroom not the master ? With this reasoning you would rather have it in your kids bedroom where they are more likely to tamper with it ? If I were wiring this apartment and had to place the panel in a bedroom I would chose the master for this very reason.

electricman:

You've brought up many good points in your post. The load size matters because a lightly loaded panel would be less likely to suffer a major failure than a heavily loaded one. Of course, any gear can fail at any loading, but heat buildup, potential for arcing, etc. would be higher for a larger load, would it not? Since both failures cited in the threads above started with the high current loads, I think the logic stands.

I wouldn't even suggest a code change proposal on this, mainly because if panels in bedrooms have been around for a long time, it was not considered a safety hazard before. Like I said in my last post, just because Code allows it doesn't mean it's the best of ideas. And that's the position I take on this.

The reality in construction on many projects dictates that there really is no other choice for panel location. In that case, you try for best and safest possible location. If I had to install a panel in my current apartment, the dining room area has suitable wall space and clearances. And only my small bedroom has a wall cavity with suitable clearance space for a panel (not likely to be blocked by furniture.)

NASA explosionproof vault? I think we all know NASA's record with explosions.

luckyshadow:

As for loading, I just answered that above.

And at every apartment with bedroom panels I've seen, the panels were NEVER in the master bedroom! Which makes your point of kids tampering extremely valid! That is why I just don't like the idea of panels in bedrooms period, since they seem to end up in the smaller bedroom.

Finally, my conditional o.k. of not in the master bedroom is based on the admittedly biased view of being single with no kids. If I had kids I definately wouldn't want it in their room! Though I can also see that IF something did happen, and the panel were in the Master bedroom, then an adult would be better able to handle the situation. The flip side? If something went wrong, say in the middle of the night, the resulting smoke fumes incapacitated the adults, the fire spreads, you can fill in the rest..... so there is no clear cut answer.

I'm glad to see so many points of view being expressed here, that's what it's all about.



[This message has been edited by mxslick (edited 01-23-2005).]

Well thought out points !
Maybe it is time to "outlaw" panels in bedrooms

NFPA is a tombstone agency. How many people have died from panel fires in a bedroom?

Good question, gfretwell. I'll do some research and post here with the results!

Outlets cause more fires in bedrooms then anything lets get them otta the bedrooms also!

Thats why you now use AFCI breakers in bedrooms.