Electrical Panel location

Started by new land owner, November 03, 2011, 05:15:25 PM

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new land owner

I was wondering if anyone knows of any issue with placing my service panel in the unheated mud room?  I have placed an arrow on my floor plan to show the location.  I would be running the wire down the wall and drilling holes to get to the crawl space.  Once in the crawl space I could drill hole and fish wires to any wall in the camp.  I am just not sure if there are issues with running wire in the unheated space.

   My thought on this placement is that I would be able to walk into the mud room and turn on any circuits I wanted before entering camp.


Alan Gage

Make sure the wiring is rodent proof.

What about running the wiring in the attic?

Alan


Rob_O

Use an outdoor panel. If it's more than 25' from the meter you will need a disconnect. The rest should be pretty typical but ask the inspector to be sure
"Hey Y'all, watch this..."

MountainDon

Is this installation going to be subject to a permit and inspection process?  There specific rules in that case. Those rules make a lot of sense even if you are in an inspection free zone and well worth following. There are guides you can get in the electrical departments at most big box stores. Not the glossy covered Sunset, Rodale, etc books, but a smaller size guide to the NEC. It might take some study but I find them to be an excellent resource. Can't put my fingers on mine to give you the name.

The service panel can be located in the mud room. It could be located outside with the proper exterior use panel enclosure. It must be placed so there is clear space in front of it for ready, easy access. That's not to say you can't place a table or a bench there AFTER the inspector does his thing. It makes sense too. You don't want to be forced into awkward positions if having to service something at a later date. IIRC, there must be clear floor space from the panel down to the floor that is a min. of 30 inches wide. Min headroom in front of the panel is 6 1/2 feet (I think). Probably some other rules that don't come to mind right now.  :-\

I would run the wires overhead and drop down the walls, in fact that is what I did.  And our panel is outside too; not enough space in small homes for easy indoor access, IMO.

Are you going to be grid connected?

You can read the IRC online and in some cases download it for reference at any time. The IRC covers from the foundation up through floors, walls, roof, elecrical, plumbing, etc. There are different versions being used in different states and municipalities/cities....

Where are you? maybe we can direct you to your state version.  A reasonably universal one is available at the link below...
http://www.ecodes.biz/ecodes_support/Free_Resources/Virginia2009/09Residential/09Residential_main.html

Just because something has been done and has not failed, doesn't mean it is good design.

new land owner

Don

   I will have inspections and I will be on grid.  I bought the panel and created a box, or chase to run the wire in.



Once all the wires are complete I have made a panel to cover the chase.  I figure this will make it easy down the road to add circuits to my camp.

 



I will be calling the inspector in the spring and will not get to running anything this winter so if he wants another location I can move it easily. 

My reason for going though the crawl space it that I want to run up to a plug and them back to the crawl space.  This way I will not be working around the wires when i insulate the walls.