Basement Wiring?

[dieselscout80]

if you are doing a sub panel, not sure what merits as a closet. the main box for my home. is in the basement. and some 2x8's or 2x10's are used for the sides and some angle brackets with concrete anchor/screws into the brick wall, with some 2x4's on the front. and them some paneling wrapped around it. and some hinged doors that cover the electrical panel. with a deadbolt style latch, i want to say 6 feet off the ground. so little kids can not easily open the doors and get into the panel / wiring.

I'm going to build a 5 1/2' x 9' storage closet and which is where I thought I'd install a sub panel if I did install one.

 

[MikeInMaine]

if you are doing a sub panel, not sure what merits as a closet.

Good question re: what is a closet. The panel may go in a "utility closet" but not in a "clothes closet". If it has closet rods, it's a clothes closet. Do not install shelving above or below the panel (see below).

A few other details in the NEC about locating panels have to do with what's called "working space". The purpose of working space is to ensure a safe working environment above, below and in front of the panel, free of obstacles:
Measured from the back of the panel, there must be at least 36" in front of the panel where a worker can stand. That space also has to be a minimum of 30" wide to allow room for your shoulders and arms. This 36" x 30" (minimum) space extends from floor to ceiling. No other obstacles should be in that space, so no pipes, ducts, etc. Also, don't fasten a workbench underneath the panel. A worker shouldn't have to kneel on a workbench or reach around obstacles to do panel work. It is okay to store things in that space so long as they can easily be moved out of the way. The top breaker in the panel must be no higher than 6'6" above the floor so short people like me can reach it without standing on a ladder or chair. Isn't this fun?!

So, if you build a utility closet for your panel, and the closet is only 2' deep, the panel can go on the back wall, opposite the doorway. If the doorway is at least 30" wide, then you've satisfied the requirements. One more thing I just remembered, any room with electrical equipment must have a light.

Cheers! Mike

 

[crazyal]

Good question re: what is a closet. The panel may go in a "utility closet" but not in a "clothes closet". If it has closet rods, it's a clothes closet. Do not install shelving above or below the panel (see below).

A few other details in the NEC about locating panels have to do with what's called "working space". The purpose of working space is to ensure a safe working environment above, below and in front of the panel, free of obstacles:
Measured from the back of the panel, there must be at least 36" in front of the panel where a worker can stand. That space also has to be a minimum of 30" wide to allow room for your shoulders and arms. This 36" x 30" (minimum) space extends from floor to ceiling. No other obstacles should be in that space, so no pipes, ducts, etc. Also, don't fasten a workbench underneath the panel. A worker shouldn't have to kneel on a workbench or reach around obstacles to do panel work. It is okay to store things in that space so long as they can easily be moved out of the way. The top breaker in the panel must be no higher than 6'6" above the floor so short people like me can reach it without standing on a ladder or chair. Isn't this fun?!

So, if you build a utility closet for your panel, and the closet is only 2' deep, the panel can go on the back wall, opposite the doorway. If the doorway is at least 30" wide, then you've satisfied the requirements. One more thing I just remembered, any room with electrical equipment must have a light.

Cheers! Mike

Isn't that light suppose to be on it's own breaker?

 

[ultrarunner]

Is their still a requirement against firewall penetration?

I used to buy the code book at each adoption and would study up on it... my last code bookl is dated 1982.

It was getting expensive buying all the new code books every couple of years and the updates.

My work now is heavily NFPA... I have a dozen up to date on my shelf at the moment...

 

[dieselscout80]

I have to fix some wiring to a out building that is on the same end of the house as my basement project.

The out building has a bathroom (1/2 bath) and a window AC unit.

I've added up the electrical usage and come up with 7326 watts (includes a 20% addition for safety).

I will have eight circuits to feed from the sub panel.
Bathroom 2
Outside outlet 1
Window AC 1
lights and outlets 4

It would be nice to have two open slots in the sub panel in case I need another circuit.

I think I can cover the 7326 amps with a 40 amp breaker feeding from main panel with 6/3 wire to a sub panel. Is this okay?

Will this panel work? http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...gId=10051&cmRelshp=req&rel=nofollow&cId=PDIO1

Can someone provide me a link to a good subpanel for this?

 

[grsthegreat]

I have to fix some wiring to a out building that is on the same end of the house as my basement project.

The out building has a bathroom (1/2 bath) and a window AC unit.

I've added up the electrical usage and come up with 7326 watts (includes a 20% addition for safety).

I will have eight circuits to feed from the sub panel.
Bathroom 2
Outside outlet 1
Window AC 1
lights and outlets 4

It would be nice to have two open slots in the sub panel in case I need another circuit.

I think I can cover the 7326 amps with a 40 amp breaker feeding from main panel with 6/3 wire to a sub panel. Is this okay?

Will this panel work? Shop Eaton Cutler-Hammer 24-Circuit 12-Space 125-Amp All-in-One/Combination Main Lug Load Center at Lowes.com

Can someone provide me a link to a good subpanel for this?

Theres nothing wrong with the panel you linked to. Is there going to be any heat??

Overall a bathroom only needs 1 circuit - a gfci outlet 20 amp. The lights can be shared with other lighting ion the building. What other things are in the outbuilding?

Seems like a little over-circuiting. The outside outlet doesn't need to be on its own breaker unless thats what you specifically want. It depends on how many light fixtures and the kind used as to how many lighting circuits you will need, but i rarely use more than 2 circuits for lighting in the average outbuilding.

You will need a main breaker in the sub-panel. You will need to make sure you bring over a ground, a neutral and 2 hots for a 40 amp - 240 volt circuit. Depending on distance run from panel to panel, a 8/3 copper UF (underground feed) romex run will power up to 45 amps, the 6/3 UF romex can power up to 60 amps comfortably.

 

[BobRip]

I have to fix some wiring to a out building that is on the same end of the house as my basement project.

The out building has a bathroom (1/2 bath) and a window AC unit.

I've added up the electrical usage and come up with 7326 watts (includes a 20% addition for safety).

I will have eight circuits to feed from the sub panel.
Bathroom 2
Outside outlet 1
Window AC 1
lights and outlets 4

It would be nice to have two open slots in the sub panel in case I need another circuit.

I think I can cover the 7326 amps with a 40 amp breaker feeding from main panel with 6/3 wire to a sub panel. Is this okay?

Will this panel work? Shop Eaton Cutler-Hammer 24-Circuit 12-Space 125-Amp All-in-One/Combination Main Lug Load Center at Lowes.com

Can someone provide me a link to a good subpanel for this?

Why not combine the bathroom outlet with the outside outlet. Both require a GFCI. Also it seems unlikely that you would be putting a large load on the outside outlet and bathroom outlet at the same time. You could use this same circuit on some other outlets in the building. Also if this is a garage building you may need GFCI on all the outlets.

 

[BobRip]

What are you loads? Are they on most of the time? For example you would probably not use two power tools at the same time in a small building. Heat is a huge factor. You probably need some kind of heat. Maybe not where you live.

 

[grsthegreat]

Why not combine the bathroom outlet with the outside outlet. Both require a GFCI. Also it seems unlikely that you would be putting a large load on the outside outlet and bathroom outlet at the same time. You could use this same circuit on some other outlets in the building. Also if this is a garage building you may need GFCI on all the outlets.

Actually in an outbuilding ALL the outlets will need to be GFCI'd, so share the outside outlet with a regular inside outlet directly on the other side.

 

[BobRip]

Actually in an outbuilding ALL the outlets will need to be GFCI'd, so share the outside outlet with a regular inside outlet directly on the other side.

That is what I had to do in my garage.