Trying to decide sub-panel location.

[MitchellL]

Here is my dilemma. Because of rushed design and not so great planning, My fault, and poor execution by contractor, Im not taking all the blame. The service door was set a little too close to the front wall. You can see my conduit in there with the one outlet right of the door. Thats where I wanted the sub-panel to go. But with the in swing door, I don't think the code would be pleased. I have a 6 slot panel, I need 2 240V, one for an EV, and one for welder, and 2 120 V runs for outlets and lights.

One option if it would please the inspector, is to put a cut off switch on top of the conduit, then run the mains from there up and over the door to the sub-panel so it has proper clearance.

Another option is throw the panel I have out and get a real service panel, and then convert the service door to an out swing. that would open that corner for the clearance in front of the panel.

My understanding is the cut-off has to be where the power enters the building, and can't have any splices. This is a detached garage. I already bought the service wire cut to length for a possible 100 amps. When I layed out the conduit, 2", I was looking at copper wire prices. I ended up buying aluminum.

Any other ideas? I can't find any clearance info for the cutoff switch or the max distance to the panel, so would option 1 be ok, the door between the cutoff and the sub panel?

Thanks

 

[The Cobbler]

I don't think the code would be pleased.

I would check to see if there is a concern before I got all in knots.
if it is, find out the details of what has to be done. I don't think a door opening on a panel is a concern here
is the building sided already? is moving the door an option?

 

[sparky 1971]

I wouldn't want a panel there, but there's nothing that says it can't go there, you have a 30" wide clear space when the door is closed. I know you don't have the width to flush mount the panel, but you could offset the conduit out of the wall and surface mount it as long as there is room between the door and the side wall. And, disconnects are narrower than panels so you could put a disconnect on the end of the conduit and run a feeder from it to another location for the panel....

 

[wyliesdiesels]

no issue codewise with panel going there

 

[mm08822]

You have options:
1) Panel to the right of the door as planned (if it fits - are you drywalling the interior? Need a nailer for the corner.)

2) Put a main lug panel on the left side of the door and disconnect on right hand side.

3) Change the swing of the door and keep the panel with main disconnect on right hand side of door.

Not sure why you want to hide a panel in a PIA location in the first place. It should have been located centrally in the garage to minimize home run wiring. The feeder is a one-time install.

Throw out the 6 slot panel and put in a 24 or 30 space panel. Everybody always adds more circuits in the future. No one ever complained about too many "extra" cb spaces.

 

[u2slow]

Similar to the disconnect idea, could put a square or rectangular splitter box there. Then extend over to the panel.

A panel behind a door swing is common here. It basically ensures nothing gets stored in front of a panel.

 

[no704]

Probably not in Wi, but in Az it is very common to have the panel outside.

 

[75gmck25]

In many locations you can run up to 5 feet of SER inside the building to reach the panel, or you need to have a main cutoff at the entrance. However, your local AHJ may have a different rule. If you do use a cutoff at the entrance, then you can run power any distance over to the panel.

I don't think there is any problem with left/right wall clearance requirement for the cutoff switch in that corner, since it has clearance when the door is closed.