Pictures show a very interesting panel to work on. The soffit built so you can open the panel door is just big enough so you can open the door.


As you can see in the photos the top screws are loose, can you blame the last electrician for leaving them loose?



You also can just barely read in the photo the working clearance label pasted to the cover of this panel stating the 36" clear working space rule.

Brian

It looks to me like that panel was installed with the file cabinets there. Why else would they have put it so high? You can blame the building owner for wanting a panel there. But what type of electrician would put a panel in there above the filing cabinets?
Scott

I suppose we should be grateful that the panel will still open.

I often find panels here where somebody has built a cupboard, shelf, or whatever right across the top half so that it's impossible to take the cover off. Just done a panel change at such a house and I had to dismantle a kitchen cupboard and take it completely off the wall just to be able to get a screwdriver into the terminals.


[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 05-02-2002).]

The panel was there before the file cabinets. The reason I guess the panel is so high is because this area had a higher ceiling at one time before the drop ceiling was put in. This violates 380.8 with out a question. You want to talk about a mess after a remodel, you don't even want to see what is above this ceiling! Just imagine your worst electrical nightmare and you are getting the picture!..........Brian

ZR-

How about some pictures of above the ceiling??? You know you can't say "electrical nighmare" on this forum without everyone asking for more!

I was going to try to take some but I am not sure how they will turn out in the dark up above. There are a few good ones that I can maybe drag a quartz light up there and snap a few photos. I may get back to that job next week...........Brian

Do these jobs actually pass inspection ? This is reminiscant of the Brick wall that was built in the family where they walled in the service panel, save for a small access hole with a wooden door on it.
What about the 6 foot. 7inch rule to the top of the breaker handle.
-Mark