Changing all panel breaker box

R

reyamkram

Senior Member
Location
Hanover park, il
I have a customer that would like me to install new panels and his apartment building first question it's an old building and they're in the closet do I need to move the panel from the closet or can I just install the new panel where the old one is second question since I'm only changing the panel I'm not adding new circuits do I need to install our fault breakers in the new breaker box thank you for any and all information
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Most cases you likely will need to move from the closet. That can depend on more details however. If there is sufficient 110.26 clearance and no combustibles can be stored near the panel you may be able to leave it where it is.

Depending on what is on other side of the wall you maybe can flip it the other way and then it is no longer in the closet, and if you did not need to extend any circuits for more than six feet would not necessarily trigger AFCI requirements to be in effect

I've done this twice in HUD funded housing places built in the 1960's that had original panels located in pantry but did not have 110.26 clearances. We were able to put replacement in same place but facing other side of wall. AFCI wasn't an issue when I did either one of them but still wouldn't be if doing it today because we basically had no circuit extensions other than maybe a few inches on individual conductors if it wouldn't reach the breaker or neutral bar
 
G

Geber

Member
Location
Vermont
Occupation
PE, retired electronics engineer
ptonsparky said:
Ask your local AHJ!!

Turn the existing into a J-box and extend it no further than 6' and you should be good but ASK.
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As far as NEC 2020 is concerned, would it be acceptable to remove the guts from the existing panel and use the steel cabinet as the new junction box? Of course move the service entrance conductors and grounding electrode conductor to the new panel.
 
R

reyamkram

Senior Member
Location
Hanover park, il
Geber said:
As far as NEC 2020 is concerned, would it be acceptable to remove the guts from the existing panel and use the steel cabinet as the new junction box? Of course move the service entrance conductors and grounding electrode conductor to the new panel. unfortunately in this example the apartments are back-to-back the breaker boxes are are back to back from one closet to the other and there is no practical means to flip it or to run it in a different place without moving and more six feet or more so and running conduit from the old breaker box of the junction box to the new breaker box and a lot of cutting on the wall a lot of stuff under those circumstances would that be acceptable is it just replace the brake box with no upgrades at all thank you and thank you for your reply
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