why are all main panels gray?

amakarevic

why was the ugliest possible color chosen for the main panel and can it be painted? why does no one make panels of a different color?

AandPDan

Cutler-Hammer is beige if I recall.

You can paint them.

Just don't paint over the labels on the inside listing what breakers you can use.

amakarevic

nah, man, i just bought a Cutler-Hammer and it is gray

joecaption

And what color would use suggest they be painted?

creeper

Plaid would be nice

Billy_Bob

Many panel covers ARE painted in businesses.

With that said, I would guess that would leave the panel manufacturers the choice of not painting, painting a specific color, and/or painting with something which will protect the metal from rusting and so forth.

I would think they would want to paint it with something to protect from rusting.
As for color, I would imagine they would want to use a "primer" color. Then people could easily paint it. Why primers are the colors they are, I have no idea?

Anyway I found the following which might be some reasons for this...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primer_...mers_for_metal

amakarevic

pink

Jim Port

The premium Cutler-Hammer is beige in color.

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Answers based on the National Electrical Code. Local amendments may apply. Check with your local building officials.

kbsparky

Many panels I've seen are bright white. Siemens, and Square D Homeline can be ordered with white covers.

You WON'T find them at the home-horror stores, however.

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Speedy Petey

Most newer mobile home panels are white, some modulars as well.
Why are they all not white? Good question.

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curiousB

They are grey because they are sad. They feel under appreciated.

k_buz

Just to piss off designers and people that think outside the box.

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jeepdawg

Well....gray is a 'neutral' color. It's interesting to see how the shade of gray has changed over the years. I can tell somewhat how old a panel is by how dark the gray is....it seems the darker it is, the older it is.

Not everyone uses the same gray.....Hoffman is pretty much battleship gray....Weidmuller has a slightly darker gray...Ritell is almost white....

Allen Bradley MCC's are pretty much the same dark gray....with the new stuff just slightly lighter.....(that or the paint has just not agged yet).

What's nice about that gray....easy match....

If you don't like gray....Hoffman will paint it any color you want.......for a price.

Just realized you guys were talking about load centers....so.....are some of the real old load centers a darker gray?

Stubbie

I wonder if they will ever make covers out of clear lexan or something .... that would be coooooollllll ... then every one would be scared to death of having messy wiring and would take the time to make the wiring neat.....

electures

They are neither black or white. They are grey. You know...,somewhere in between.

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