Thread: Elevator equipment in bedroom closet

Anyone familiar with elevator equipment. This electrical equipment was housed in a bedroom closet.

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Mat,

Is that overcurrent protection in the gray cabinet enclosure or just a disconnect?

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

Is that overcurrent protection in the gray cabinet enclosure or just a disconnect?

That was the first thing that popped into my head as well.

It was a breaker but the box was locked and of course no one had the key.

Originally Posted by mathew stouffer

It was a breaker but the box was locked and of course no one had the key.

"It was a breaker ... "

Not allowed in clothes closets.

Are you sure it was not just a "molded case switch" serving as a disconnect?

The picture don't look like it is in a clothes closet. So it may be okay.

Not be located where they will be in the vicinity of easily
ignitible material such as in clothes closets.

15 and 20 amp breakers.

Originally Posted by mathew stouffer

was housed in a bedroom closet.

Originally Posted by Wayne Carlisle

The picture don't look like it is in a clothes closet.

That's why I picked up on "clothes closet".

I'm guessing that to the right of that divider is the clothes closet portion of the closet.

Was this a single family residence? Would that make a difference for common equipment locked out of use for residents if it were a condo or apartment building?

It's not the "locked out" that's a problem. It's a fire hazard in an area with ignitible material. If that is what you are asking.

Originally Posted by Jim Robinson

Would that make a difference for ...

No. No difference at all.

In fact, the code says "such as" "clothes closets", but what it is really talking about it "easily ignitable material" and the direct mention of "clothes closets" stopped AHJ from saying 'Oh, clothes? They are not "easily ignitable material".', when in fact clothes are.

Many AHJ were thinking 'easily explosive material' while reading "easily ignitable" material. They were not thinking about how readily clothes ignite.

It was a town home, and its the developers unit. I think there was some "good old boys" stuff going on here with the AHJ.

It certainly looks to me that a deliberate effort was made to convert this from a 'closet' into an 'equipment room.' As such, it's not a closet anymore - and it looks like they've done a fine job of preventing that area from being used for storage.

The box is actually the control panel. Were you to open it, you'd find all manner of relays and circuit boards. The breaker is both the disconnecting means and the overload protection for the elevator. This is NOT a panel, at least not in the sense that the NEC wanted to ban from clothes closets!

As to the lack of a key for access .... most places have extremely strict rules about elevators, and only elevator contractors can work on them. Even the local electrical contractor is not allowed to open that box.

Originally Posted by John Steinke

It certainly looks to me that a deliberate effort was made to convert this from a 'closet' into an 'equipment room.' As such, it's not a closet anymore - and it looks like thay've done a fine job of preventing that area from being used for storage.

I agree they made a "deliberate effort" ... however, we all see "deliberate efforts" made all the time to try to circumvent the code, and it basically always ends up like that photo - "wasted effort".

I disagree that the closet is no longer a closet. It is within the "same space" within the enclosed area, which is walled in and has a door - it is still "a closet".

here are a few close up pics of the equipment.