Mounting Panel in pole building

[ManCave]

Hi Everyone,

I'm installing the interior skin on the walls of my pole building next week using the ribbed metal for the walls. I plan to run my electrical on the face of the walls in conduit and tie into the panel.

My panel is currently set into the wall cavity. Tomorrow I'm going to pull the meter and re-mount the panel. The question I have is when the guys install the metal on the walls will they **** up against the breaker panel or slide the metal behind the panel? I'm assuming with the ribbed sheathing that they'll **** up against the panel. I'm wondering if I should run plywood from the fur strip above the panel to the fur strip below the panel and mount the panel to the plywood or if I should mount the panel to the fur strips (2 x 4s) directly?

Just want to make sure that I have it framed and mounted properly before they start work on the walls.

Anyone have photos of how your box is mounted when you have the ribbed metal wall panels?

 

[pattenp]

You need to mount the panel so the back is at the same plane as the wall surface. If the metal wall panels are butted to the panel you run the risk of blocking the knockouts for where the conduit connects to the panel.

 

[bjcouche]

PattenP made a good observation. To further his description, I would install a 1" thick piece of plywood between the wall plane and the breaker panel. That way the breaker panel is spaced out 1" from the wall. When the sheet metal guys come, they will just install the metal around the plywood with J trim. You will be left with seeing the plywood so be sure to paint it or use something you can live with seeing. The plywood can be any size or larger than your box, I chose 1" thick because that's the thickness of the J channel that I have on my building. If your J channel will be thicker, then you'll need thicker plywood.

Brian

 

[ManCave]

Thanks guys. That helps. I'll use the plywood as suggested.

 

[pattenp]

Exactly what I meant. You provided a much better description of what to do.

PattenP made a good observation. To further his description, I would install a 1" thick piece of plywood between the wall plane and the breaker panel. That way the breaker panel is spaced out 1" from the wall. When the sheet metal guys come, they will just install the metal around the plywood with J trim. You will be left with seeing the plywood so be sure to paint it or use something you can live with seeing. The plywood can be any size or larger than your box, I chose 1" thick because that's the thickness of the J channel that I have on my building. If your J channel will be thicker, then you'll need thicker plywood.

Brian

 

[Aceman]

Have you considered using plywood on the bottom 8' with ribbed metal above? It is considerably easier to mount electrical boxes and other shop equipment to plywood than it is to mount to corrugated liner panel.

 

[ManCave]

Have you considered using plywood on the bottom 8' with ribbed metal above? It is considerably easier to mount electrical boxes and other shop equipment to plywood than it is to mount to corrugated liner panel.

I have a machine shop and do a lot of welding. I wanted the metal for fire protection and also because the white will brighten up the shop, too.

 

[BFBOB]

It would be a good idea to use fire retardant plywood. Maybe not required for your application with closed boxes, but couldn't hurt.

 

[ManCave]

It would be a good idea to use fire retardant plywood. Maybe not required for your application with closed boxes, but couldn't hurt.

Hi Bob,

I'm confused. Fire retardant plywood for? I'm doing steel walls.

 

[BFBOB]

It was suggested that you use plywood for mounting your breaker box (post 6) etc. On rereading it, it may be he was suggesting that for the whole building. From your reply I see that's not an option. I was thinking of just the immediate vicinity of the breaker box, where all the conduit comes together, for strength and convenience. If there's nothing but thin metal there, things could be a bit shaky. Of course Unistrut would be even better, stronger and fireproof and still pretty convenient.

 

[Eriehunter]

you could use Unistrut to mount the panel on. mount your strut before the steel goes on. the steel installer would then slot cut the steel for the strut and you can mount the panel after the steel is on that would make for a pretty clean looking install as the strut and it's slot would be hidden behind the panel back box.

 

[bullnerd]

1" plywood? That's a new one.

I think this is getting complicated for no reason.

Can you catch one of the 2 by's with the top or bottom of the pan? If so , screw it to surface with some spacers so you clear the ribs and add sheetmetal screws where you can. If you can add another 2 by, good, if not , where's it going to go? Is this a structural member?

 

[6768rogues]

I put a piece of 3/4" plywood on the framing, put J-channel around it and put the metal in the J-channel. It essentially replaced a section of metal with plywood. I sized the plywood larger than the panel so I had room to secure conduits to it near where they entered the panel. I also painted the plywood prior to mounting anything, so it looks good.

 

[ManCave]

Thanks guys. I mounted it on doubled up sheets of 1/2 plywood. Cut to the exact size of the box. I have nailers in place for when I mount my conduit. The idea to space it out from the wall was a life saver!

 

[bullnerd]

Pics ?

 

[ManCave]

Pics ?

Or it didn't happen? LOL! I'll try and take some tomorrow.

I've been hitting it pretty hard to get everything ready. Today I ran a 2 x 6 at the height where it will need to be when I mount cabinets. I also ran a 2 x 4 at 50 inches for mounting outlets or an air line around the inside perimeter of the shop. I have a 200 amp panel at one end and a 100 amp sub-panel at the other end. The 100 amp panel is where my welder, tig and plasma cutter will sit. So I ran a 2 x 6 at about 18 inches for mounting the 220 outlets.