Working Room Clearance

[Jerry Simon]

30" to the side or sides of the panelboard (not sure of exact language; apparently I should be). 

From the sides of the panelboard cabinet?

From the side edges of the deadfront cover?

[Marc]

Simply a clear space 30 inches wide. Panel can be anywhere within that space.

[cswearer]

On 5/30/2022 at 9:21 AM, Jerry Simon said:

30" to the side or sides of the panelboard (not sure of exact language; apparently I should be). 

From the sides of the panelboard cabinet?

From the side edges of the deadfront cover?

Here is a diagram we us to show clearances. Most people don't realize there is also a height requirement as well. Never thought about it until I ran across one that had the main breaker at 84in from the floor!

[Jim Katen]

On 7/26/2022 at 7:26 AM, cswearer said:

Here is a diagram we us to show clearances. Most people don't realize there is also a height requirement as well. Never thought about it until I ran across one that had the main breaker at 84in from the floor!

It's a little more complicated than that. 110.26(A)(3) says that the maximum height is 6'-6" *or* the height of the equipment, whichever is greater. Lots of panels extend higher than 6'-6" and their working space should be just as high as they are. Under this rule, your 84-inch-high breaker would require clear working space around it. 

But the 2nd exception after this rule confuses matters. It allows the working space to be shorter for equipment 200-amps or less in "existing dwellings." (While it doesn't explain "existing dwellings", it means before this rule came into effect - pre-1993.) They specifically did not want the rule to apply to pre-existing panels. 

As for the 84" high breaker, two separate rules restrict that. 240.24(A) and 404.8 both limit the height of breaker handles to 6'-7" in their highest position. 

It's interesting to see that both the working-space rule and the breaker-height rules are 2 meters, but the working space rule resolves that to 6'-6" while the breaker-height rule resolves it to 6'-7". . .  Two different committees, two different translations from metric.