New Electrical Panel Box

criehl · 05-10-2009, 08:12 AM

We have a cabin in the woods and there is a discussion as to where to place the new electrical panel box. The current panel box was located in the bathroom. We now wish to move it out of there. One suggestion was placing it directly above the stove in the kitchen which is less than 6 feet from the kitchen sink and one suggestion was in the attic.

Are either of these locations a bad idea?

Speedy Petey · 05-10-2009, 08:28 AM

Uh YEAH! VERY bad!

The sink is absolutely NOT an issue at all. Think about it, breaker panels are installed outdoors. How could the sink possibly be an issue???

The issue is clearances.
Behind the stove of about the worst suggestion I have ever heard. Besides being completely blocked there is the heat issue.
The attic is not automatically bad, as long as clearances are met. This is usually hard in a typical attic. A walk-up full height attic is fine if you can get the 6'6" height requirement.

Moving the panel means you need to meet current clearances. This is 36" in front, 30" wide and 6'6" height in that whole 30x36 space.
The panel does NOT have to be centered in the 30" wide space.

Oh, and it CANNOT go in a clothes/storage closet or back in the bathroom.

InPhase277 · 05-10-2009, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by criehl

We have a cabin in the woods and there is a discussion as to where to place the new electrical panel box. The current panel box was located in the bathroom. We now wish to move it out of there. One suggestion was placing it directly above the stove in the kitchen which is less than 6 feet from the kitchen sink and one suggestion was in the attic.

Are either of these locations a bad idea?

Yeah, Petey pretty much summed that up. Why not locate it outside by the meter? A weatherproof 3R box would be required, but it would certainly solve the location problem. Convert the old box into a junction.

220/221 · 05-10-2009, 12:20 PM

Put it outside like we do in AZ.

My cabin during reconstruction.

J. V. · 05-10-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 220/221

Put it outside like we do in AZ.

My cabin during reconstruction.

That is a beautiful cabin. What a view. I would never want to leave. Oh yea, back on subject. OP see picture? Do the same.

J. V. · 05-10-2009, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speedy Petey

Uh YEAH! VERY bad!
The issue is clearances.
Behind the stove of about the worst suggestion I have ever heard. Besides being completely blocked there is the heat issue. .

The OP said above the stove, not behind the stove. Still a bad idea.

220/221 · 05-10-2009, 01:16 PM

http://s8.photobucket.com/albums/a8/...t=MOV01786.flv

I don't have a wide enough lense to really show off this place.

Sunrise.

Scuba_Dave · 05-10-2009, 01:20 PM

I'ver never understood breaker panels outside
Who wants to go outside in the rain or snow to reset a breaker?

Nice pics, not what I think of when I hear AZ

Speedy Petey · 05-10-2009, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J. V.

The OP said above the stove, not behind the stove. Still a bad idea.

I guess when I picture this I still see it as behind the stove, if not actually hidden behind it.
See what I mean.

Speedy Petey · 05-10-2009, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scuba_Dave

Nice pics, not what I think of when I hear AZ

For real. Looks exactly like upstate NY.

Nice location 220.

220/221 · 05-10-2009, 01:42 PM

I have reset a breaker in my houses maybe 5 times in my 57 years. What kind of wiring do you have in your place

The meter/combo panel is simply an easier installation and doesn't take up any real estate inside.

Install enough circuits and you won't be resetting any breakers

Speedy Petey · 05-10-2009, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 220/221

I have reset a breaker in my houses maybe 5 times in my 57 years. What kind of wiring do you have in your place

The meter/combo panel is simply an easier installation and doesn't take up any real estate inside.

Install enough circuits and you won't be resetting any breakers

While I do agree, we have basements and I'll take the panel down there ANY day over having it outside.

220/221 · 05-10-2009, 02:00 PM

Ya like to go down there, have a few beers and bond with it?

Bigplanz · 05-10-2009, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 220/221

Ya like to go down there, have a few beers and bond with it?

You definitely can't have it in the bathroom. The kitchen is ok, but not behind the stove, as others have said. You need three feet of clearance in front of the panel. I had a small apartment about 10 years ago and the breaker box was in the kitchen next to the refrigerator. I'd try to put it there if you can.

Scuba_Dave · 05-10-2009, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 220/221

I have reset a breaker in my houses maybe 5 times in my 57 years. What kind of wiring do you have in your place

The meter/combo panel is simply an easier installation and doesn't take up any real estate inside.

Install enough circuits and you won't be resetting any breakers

I have 80a of Christmas decorations that are up for about 2 months. Usually just the GFCI kicks in rain. But during setup I do kick a breaker now & then
Not so much since I now have 8 dedicated circuits

Now my wife - the 12a vac, and her hair dryer
That's another story
And it did take me a while to chase down all the wiring in this house (from the 50's), figure out what went where & was overloading what
Kitchen was on one circuit including the fridge
Plus my work area has been in the basement for the past 5 years waiting on the new garage

No way on behind the stove, very bad idea & doesn't meet code for clearances