Thread: Opening in service panel enclosure

One year old house. The photo below shows a cable opening in the rear of the panel (panel is mounted on an exterior wall). The cables do not fill the opening and the hole opens into the interior of the wall. Is the opening required to be better filled?

Thanks,


Eric

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Eric,

The opening does not need to be sealed, however, being as that is a cable, it is required to have a cable clamp.

It 'could have' a conduit (raceway) through which the cable is run and not require a clamp, however, in that case it would not open to the interior of the wall.

You could 'see' into the interior of the wall to know it stopped there? If you could, then that is a no-no.

They sure ran that neutral close to the top of the main and its terminals, didn't they? Could they have pulled it any tighter? Or, maybe it has been 'pulled tighter' (i.e., no cable clamp, someone pulls the other end of the cable, cable pulls tight like shown). It is 'unusual' to see a cable stripped back that far into a fitting as the cable clamp would be clamping the insulation instead of the outer sheath - also a no-no.

Thanks Jerry,

Yeah I could see in to the wall, i.e., no raceway. I thought the same thing about the neutral.

Eric

I would call attention to:

300.7 Raceways Exposed to Different Temperatures

(A) Sealing Where portions of a cable raceway or sleeve are known to be subjected to different temperatures and where condensation is known to be a problem, as in cold storage areas of buildings or where passing from the interior to the exterior of a building, the raceway or sleeve shall be filled with an approved material to prevent the circulation of warm air to a colder section of the raceway or sleeve.

Is the cabint enclosing the panelboard on the other side? If so, can you post a picture with the cabinet front removed, close up image showing all if the interior, please.

PS: I would also cite the damaged insulation on Phase B.

Originally Posted by Jerry Peck

They sure ran that neutral close to the top of the main and its terminals, didn't they? Could they have pulled it any tighter? Or, maybe it has been 'pulled tighter' (i.e., no cable clamp, someone pulls the other end of the cable, cable pulls tight like shown). It is 'unusual' to see a cable stripped back that far into a fitting as the cable clamp would be clamping the insulation instead of the outer sheath - also a no-no.

Jerry,

Is there a code reference for conductors crossing over the bus? Would that apply here?

Thanks,
Rick

From the 2005 NEC.
- 110.12 Mechanical Execution of Work.
- - Electrical equipment shall be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner.
- - - FPN: Accepted industry practices are described in ANSI/NECA 1-2000. Standard Practices for Good Workmanship in Electrical Contracting, and other ANSI-approved installation standards.

But that is a pretty much un-enforceable section ... the teeth of it is in a FPN - and FPN are un-enforceable. Whoopeedoo!

This section is better, however, while it is not directly applicable to your question, it is most likely directly applicable to 'the cause' for that condition in the photo.

- 312.5 Cabinets, Cutout Boxes, and Meter Socket Enclosures.
- - (C) Cables. Where cable is used, each cable shall be secured to the cabinet, cutout box, or meter socket enclosure.

Nothing directly about that neutral being there, but, if a cable clamp had been installed, that likely would not have happened.