Thread: Location of Main Panel

I have a main panel located inside a cabinet that is located within six inches of the kitchen sink. I can not find any location requirements other than they can not be placed in a bathroom or a clothes closet. This does not seem to be a safe location to me.

Any thoughts?

Originally Posted by Mike Tracy

I have a main panel located inside a cabinet that is located within six inches of the kitchen sink. I can not find any location requirements other than they can not be placed in a bathroom or a clothes closet. This does not seem to be a safe location to me.

Any thoughts?

Did it have the required work space in front of the panel? It wouldn't seem possible unless the sink and counter top stopped right next to the panel, and there were no cabinets in front of it.

I missed the part about inside the cabinet earlier. No way it has the proper work space in front of the panel if it's actually inside the cabinet.

We require 36 inches of space in front of the panel,as a working space.

Originally Posted by Harry Janssen

We require 36 inches of space in front of the panel,as a working space.

Colder to the north so they allowed for the heaver clothing...

Originally Posted by Robert Meier

This is a graphic from the NECH of the required working space, in the side view the minimum distance is 36".

Think that I commented about this drawing a while back as being totally useless as an example. It is missing a critical dimension---the depth of the minimum space required in front of the panel that is usually 36". The only good piece of information is that the 30" minimum is a sliding space.

Originally Posted by Robert Meier

Actually it's does not contain that information because it changes based on which of the 3 conditions in 110.26(A)(1) that would apply to the installation. The required working space depth can be 36", 42" or 48". As Rich has commented and stated in post #5 the minimum is 36"

No problem. But as an informational drawing it sucks. Better not to use it for anything. As you know, a drawing will always get separated from any included text. Then the confusion/issues start. Better if the information was in a callout on the drawing, and also referencing the standard.

When I was designing, I used 4'. The sparkies always liked 5', and when that was obtainable---they got it. They always said that the larger distance was for them to recover from being thrown across the floor from a shock!

"Panels may no longer be installed on the wall space above a countertop, nor can they be inside a kitchen cabinet or other cabinet." "Electrical Inspections of Existing Dwellings"