How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn’t identify? Here’s your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else’s work from the safety of your living room or office. Can you identify the specific Code violation(s) in this photo? Note: Submitted comments must include specific references from the 2023 NEC.
Hint: Donuts and apples do not belong here.
Tell Them What They’ve Won…
Using the 2023 NEC, correctly identify the Code violation(s) in this month’s photo — in 200 words or less — and you could win a $25 Amazon gift card. E-mail your response, including your name and mailing address, to [email protected], and Russ will select one winner (excluding manufacturers and prior winners) at random from the correct submissions. Note that submissions without an address will not be eligible to win.
September Winner
Our winner this month is Walt Tom, an IT professional and owner/operator at WCT Computer Systems in Terre Haute, Ind. He knew that this closet was a bad location for a the installation of this electrical equipment.
In addition to not having the required working space clearances specified in Sec. 110.26, the location of this enclosed panelboard in a linen closet full of ignitible materials is a violation of Sec. 240.24(D). This rule prohibits overcurrent devices, such as the circuit breakers in this enclosed panelboard, from being located near easily ignitible material. Although just out of view near the bottom of the picture, other items on the floor make it difficult to get close enough to the panelboard to safely access circuit breakers. This creates a violation of Sec. 240.24(A), which requires overcurrent devices to be “readily accessible.” Readily accessible is defined in Art. 100 as “capable of being reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspections without requiring those to whom ready access is requisite to take actions such as to use tools (other than keys), to climb over or under, to remove obstacles, or to resort to portable ladders, and so forth.”