Is it legal to put a sub-sub panel in a kitchen island????

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rt66electric

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
My delima, a good cutomer is selling a grandma's old house. This was added-on in the 70's??? then a pool added in the 80's .
While fixing other problems, I noticed that the kitchen island lights, counter recepts, and cooktop/over were all powered by the same 2-pole 30 amp exterior federal pacific sub-panel. It has #8awg 2-wire with ground romex feeding the circuit !!! It must have a jake-leg box behind the shelves somewhere tapping the #8 to #12's for the recepts and lights. I know it woud be best to run new circuits for the lights and recepts.
Would it be Legal to put a small panel behind drawers of cabinet doors??? ( asuming there was a 4-wire feeder instead of a 3-wire ).

My next delima is to explain the concept to the customer? I doubt if the average home inseptor will notice the hazardous wiring. The H.I.'s can find a flying splice and a double tapped breaker and such( all the things can can learn from a book), But have no clue to over sizing breakers to wire size
 
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suemarkp

Senior Member
Location
Kent, WA
Occupation
Retired Engineer
Nope. Panels have a bunch of clearance rules -- need a 36"D x 30" wide space in front of the panel. Something like a door could encroach, but not fixed cabinets, walls, or cabinet structure. I"d try to get new wires to that subpanel location or back to the main panel location. The federal pacific panel will need more slots to accomodate lights, counter receptacles, and a cooktop. A FP panel should be replaced anyway.
 
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rt66electric

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
anybody need a fpe 2p 100 ??

anybody need a fpe 2p 100 ??

The fpe panel is now replaced. That is when accidently found the stove/recept problem. I have seen a wadworth main house panel mounted underneath the bathoom vanity. I havent thought of the fact that the standard rules for large panels are the applied the same for small panels. I have seen some small sub-panels in some strange places.
 
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rt66electric

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
what is ?- right, legal. moral- can be three different things

what is ?- right, legal. moral- can be three different things

Dennis Alwon said:
Get new circuits run and do away with the panel behind the drawers- not a safe install.
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I knew is was not safe. The code can be misinterperted many ways. I will give th H.O. a quote for repairs.
 
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rt66electric

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
My thoughts is that it would be unsafe-- do to physical damage by drawers or pots and pans being slamed into the box.

My next concern would be heat in a closed area.

I have seen breaker boxes used as service disconnects is some mysterious places. Accessible locations, but not necessarly congforming to breaker box working area requirements.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
rt66electric said:
The fpe panel is now replaced. That is when accidently found the stove/recept problem. I have seen a wadworth main house panel mounted underneath the bathoom vanity. I havent thought of the fact that the standard rules for large panels are the applied the same for small panels. I have seen some small sub-panels in some strange places.
Click to expand...

If it contains 1 breaker it is still a panelboard. There is no magic number of overcurrent devices that must be met before it becomes a panelboard. -except maybe 1.
 
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