Sub Panel in a Kitchen Pantry?

[scotw]

My house has a main panel with disconnect and HVAC circuit breakers mounted on an exterior wall near the service entrance and two sub panels inside the structure. One of the sub panels is in the garage and the other is in a laundry room.

I am changing the 5 by 7 laundry room into a walkin kitchen pantry. The laundry room currently has the sub panel, washer hookup, dryer electrical, and a gas line for a dryer. I never was comfortable with gas and water near my panel but it did pass inspection when the house was built in 1988.

I plan on removing the gas line, washer dryer hookup, and keep the subpanel in its existing location behind the door. I can provide the required clearance around the panel. The pantry will store food and unused kitchen appliances.

Will a sub panel in a pantry pass code? I have tried to call my local inspector but have never received a reply.

Thanks.

Scott

 

[KenC]

That depends on your inspector. Code forbids panels in closets, but I can't find any definition of a pantry. If he/she thinks a pantry is a closet, then no, but if not you're fine.

 

[ishiboo]

That depends on your inspector. Code forbids panels in closets, but I can't find any definition of a pantry. If he/she thinks a pantry is a closet, then no, but if not you're fine.

Definitely. Ignoring code, I would still make sure I got the blessing of the inspector for doing this... they each have their own ideas, and moving the panel once installed is a pain

 

[cderalow]

what both of you have failed to note is the statement about size.

I have seen eletrical panels in commercial buildings in 'storage' or 'lan' rooms.

as such, a 5'x7' room used for storage should meet code requirements as long as you've got the 30" on either side, and 3' in front.

 

[KenC]

what both of you have failed to note is the statement about size.

I have seen eletrical panels in commercial buildings in 'storage' or 'lan' rooms.

as such, a 5'x7' room used for storage should meet code requirements as long as you've got the 30" on either side, and 3' in front.

Nope, the NEC residential application specifically disallows a closet as a panel location. In this case size doesn't matter!

 

[BigJohn20]

That depends on your inspector. Code forbids panels in closets, but I can't find any definition of a pantry. If he/she thinks a pantry is a closet, then no, but if not you're fine.

Code specifically defines what a clothes closet is:

Clothes Closet. A non-habitable room or space intended
primarily for storage of garments and apparel.

The wording in the 2008 NEC:

Not in Vicinity of Easily Ignitible Material. Overcurrent
devices shall not be located in the vicinity of easily
ignitible material, such as in clothes closets.

 

[Stuart in MN]

You don't need 30 inches on each side, it's 30 inches total width. The required working space in front of a panel is 30 inches wide by 36 inches deep x 6 1/2 feet high, and shall not be used for storage - in other words, that 30 x 36 area is to be kept clear of stuff.

What the NEC says about closets is that "Overcurrent devices (circuit breakers) shall not be located in the vicinity of easily ignitable material, such as in clothes closets." Clothes aren't kept in a food pantry but I suppose it could still be questionable since some foodstuffs may be considered ignitable - for instance, flour.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Charles

 

[Aceman]

Most people just renovate and then ask why it's wrong later.... So I'm glad you're asking!

I had a job adding a circuit for a rangehood/microwave combo in a guys house a while back. Panel was in the garage. Well, he had built a small laundry room in one corner of the garage, this room went right up to the edge of the panel. Then he decided to install pegboard on this wall with a counter under it. You had to remove the pegboard and sit on the counter just to get the panel cover off and work in the panel. Seriously....what the ****!!

Some people just don't get it....

When I was sitting on the counter landing the wires I wondered if he knew I thought he was an idiot?

 

[BigJohn20]

Most people just renovate and then ask why it's wrong later.... So I'm glad you're asking!

I had a job adding a circuit for a rangehood/microwave combo in a guys house a while back. Panel was in the garage. Well, he had built a small laundry room in one corner of the garage, this room went right up to the edge of the panel. Then he decided to install pegboard on this wall with a counter under it. You had to remove the pegboard and sit on the counter just to get the panel cover off and work in the panel. Seriously....what the ****!!

Some people just don't get it....

When I was sitting on the counter landing the wires I wondered if he knew I thought he was an idiot?

I like the people that build shelves right under the panel and load them up with the brake cleaner, acetone, and every other flammable substance known to man.

 

[scotw]

Charles,
I will easily meet the requirements in your diagram. The picture of the panel behind the door is exactly my situation. Having it behind the door ensures nothing will be placed in front of it.

While I can ask one town inspector if it is ok, we have multiple electrical inspectors and another might not agree with the first.

I could just leave the laundry room as is (it no longer has any appliances, since I have another Laundry room on the other side of the house), and put metal (Metro) shelfing in later but I want it to meet code and be safe. I'm sure it would be much safer as a pantry than a laundry room were someone could be standing in a puddle of water with the panel door open looking for the breaker to shut off the overflowing washing machine. Especially if there was a gas leak in the dryer and the panel arcs. Utimately, how safe the room is depends on what is stored there, but that is true of any room with a panel. The floor is ceramic tile and there is an exhaust fan.