Electrical panel location in new build home

[chickenman]

Looking for a little help from those in the know. My fiancé and I are in the process of having a home built for us, and the builder just 'informed' us that there is an electrical disconnect required as the panel is located more than 10 feet from where the power enters the building... All this for the low price of $820... Does anyone have experience on where I can't put the panel? I know the bathroom is a no go. What about in the storage room under the stairs... Telling the builder "thats your problem" has ended in 3 weeks of zero progress in the house. So im looking for suggestions on locations. Any issues in having it in the garage?

Like I said, don't bother with telling them to F off, because they clearly don't care

Thanks

 

[Cyle]

Garage is fine, but then you need a main panel in garage, and sub panel in house that wouldn't result in any savings but would give you the benefit of having unlimited power in garage. The new electrical code requiring conduit on underground service has made things a lot more difficult as far as where to bring electrical service in in many cases you can't bring it in where you want it, and it's very pricey for extra runs compared to what it use to be just trenching and some sand. That's assuming you are building in Edmonton.

Under stairs would be a no go unless you have around 6' of headroom at panel location would be my guess. Other then headroom and bathroom you could pretty much put it anywhere but be mindful of how you finish it if it's in a living room or something. I would only put it in a place where you are framing off entire room with a door to hide everything. Building a cabinet with a door just doesn't work.

I would tell the builder you will only pay the real price they are paying to have it done, not the insane marked up price and if they try to get out of it say you want to see price from trade indicating pricing in writing.

 

[snopro]

Ours is in our mechanical room in the basement

 

[chickenman]

Garage is fine, but then you need a main panel in garage, and sub panel in house that wouldn't result in any savings but would give you the benefit of having unlimited power in garage. The new electrical code requiring conduit on underground service has made things a lot more difficult as far as where to bring electrical service in in many cases you can't bring it in where you want it, and it's very pricey for extra runs compared to what it use to be just trenching and some sand. That's assuming you are building in Edmonton.


Under stairs would be a no go unless you have around 6' of headroom at panel location would be my guess. Other then headroom and bathroom you could pretty much put it anywhere but be mindful of how you finish it if it's in a living room or something. I would only put it in a place where you are framing off entire room with a door to hide everything. Building a cabinet with a door just doesn't work.

I would tell the builder you will only pay the real price they are paying to have it done, not the insane marked up price and if they try to get out of it say you want to see price from trade indicating pricing in writing.

thanks, I appreciate this. I’ve tried to argue the actual price angle and it’s fallen on deaf ears.. they know they have you by the balls when you sign the papers... they wanted 1500 dollars to upgrade from an $1130 furnace to a $1750 dollar one!!!

 

[Cableguy]

u need to get a different builder

 

[bobsledder]

Your service disconnect must be within 10 feet of the meter base. The panel main breaker can fill the service disconnect functionbutif further away you need a service disconnect. Can you not locate the panel within 10 feet of the meter.

 

[rknight111]

Try contacting Trevor TKO Sled Ed on here, he is a home builder, maybe he can help you out

 

[sledn]

Not allowed in any clothes closets.No conduit required after the main breaker at the meter. All breakers below 170 cm from floor. Usually try to put it in the mechanical room. 1 meter clearance in front of panel board for servicing.

 

[chickenman]

Your service disconnect must be within 10 feet of the meter base. The panel main breaker can fill the service disconnect functionbutif further away you need a service disconnect. Can you not locate the panel within 10 feet of the meter.

Where the power goes in is 12 feet from the mechanical room... on the other side of the house

 

[bobsledder]

That service disconnect rule in CSA 22..1 states the service quipment be as close as practible to the point the service conductors enter the building. A recommended practice in Alberta is 3 meters but that is not explicitly stated in the code and the local authority provides clarification. In Alberta a provincial standata is used to do that. The Standata allows a maximum distance of 7.5 meters whithin the building for the service entrance conductors provided they are installed in rigid metal conduit. In your situation I would request that rather than add a service disconnect.


When the mechanical room is further away from an exterior entry point we run the service entrance cable underground under the foundation. Have to plan for that when bringing other services like sewer and water in. The electrical contractor would know this and the builder likely didn't get them involved in time. I would argue this is their screwup and you are not responsible for the cost to make it comply with code.

 

[ferniesnow]

They may think they have you by the short curly ones but there is no way in hell you should be paying for someone else's screw up. bobsledder has some great points and you should carry out on them.

 

[sledn]

No issues putting the panel in the attached garage or a basement bedroom/living room (second panel not required in the house) w/ no extra fee. Rigid steel conduit inside the house is not practical for residential. $820 is a fair price for the electrician. I would put the panel in mechanical room.

 

[bobsledder]

No issues putting the panel in the attached garage or a basement bedroom/living room (second panel not required in the house) w/ no extra fee. Rigid steel conduit inside the house is not practical for residential. $820 is a fair price for the electrician. I would put the panel in mechanical room.

What's not practical about it? Probably take me an hour to install it. I think from his description his mechanical room is to far away.

 

[bobsledder]

They may think they have you by the short curly ones but there is no way in hell you should be paying for someone else's screw up. bobsledder has some great points and you should carry out on them.

45 years in the trade and a master electricianin AB and BC I Have seen a lot of Jessuess ups. Lol

 

[Cyle]

That service disconnect rule in CSA 22..1 states the service quipment be as close as practible to the point the service conductors enter the building. A recommended practice in Alberta is 3 meters but that is not explicitly stated in the code and the local authority provides clarification. In Alberta a provincial standata is used to do that. The Standata allows a maximum distance of 7.5 meters whithin the building for the service entrance conductors provided they are installed in rigid metal conduit. In your situation I would request that rather than add a service disconnect.


When the mechanical room is further away from an exterior entry point we run the service entrance cable underground under the foundation. Have to plan for that when bringing other services like sewer and water in. The electrical contractor would know this and the builder likely didn't get them involved in time. I would argue this is their screwup and you are not responsible for the cost to make it comply with code.

I am going to assume you are talking about something B.C allows which is far different then Alberta. In all my years of doing residential excavation I have never seen a service feed go under foundation. City of Edmonton requirements are service feed in conduit and are very very sticky on them, you only have 4" tolerance on the depth of the service.

 

[Cyle]

Is the house a plan you choose from the builder that they have built many times, or are they building a one off? If it's one of their plans, they should cover their screw up, but if it's a one off it's one of those things that can come up that you didn't anticipate and they aren't really responsible for, other then finding a good solution.

 

[kanedog]

I had to do the same. I closed my eyes, held my nose.......and paid. Boo.

 

[moyiesledhead]

I am going to assume you are talking about something B.C allows which is far different then Alberta. In all my years of doing residential excavation I have never seen a service feed go under foundation. City of Edmonton requirements are service feed in conduit and are very very sticky on them, you only have 4" tolerance on the depth of the service.

I don't think he meant service entrance cable. Suspect he means the cable between the meter base and the panel. I've been known to encase it in concrete or go under the concrete floor when it's more than 3 meters to the panel. Running the actual service entrance under the slab would not be legal in BC either.

 

[Cyle]

I don't think he meant service entrance cable. Suspect he means the cable between the meter base and the panel. I've been known to encase it in concrete or go under the concrete floor when it's more than 3 meters to the panel. Running the actual service entrance under the slab would not be legal in BC either.

Possibly, I seen one 400 amp service brought in garage under the slab all in conduit. That would be acceptable I imagine, but a lot more expensive then the $800 for a disconnect. I would never run that under foundation/slab without it being in conduit the whole way though, just in case.

 

[bobsledder]

I don't think he meant service entrance cable. Suspect he means the cable between the meter base and the panel. I've been known to encase it in concrete or go under the concrete floor when it's more than 3 meters to the panel. Running the actual service entrance under the slab would not be legal in BC either.

Correct....you must also be an electrician. They allow that in Alberta as well