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. It's your turn to identify the violation.
Hint: Space invasion
Find the Answer
The ongoing battle for space continues in this episode of “CodeWatch.”
I can only hope that the electrician was here before the plumber installed that huge pipe. Look at all the wall space to the left and right of the panelboard. Yet, for some reason, the installer decided putting that pipe directly above the panelboard was a good idea.
Electricians know that the space directly above this panelboard is dedicated for the electrical installation. No other piping systems or equipment foreign to the electrical system is permitted in the spaces directly below or directly above the panelboard. Section 110.26(E)(1)(a) explains that this “dedicated space” extends from the floor, to a height of 6 ft above the electrical equipment or to the structural ceiling — whichever is lower.
If the plumbing pipe was installed first, then perhaps the electrician should spend some time reading all the rules in Sec. 110.26 again. But I don’t think that was the case in this instance.
One thing is for sure, it’s obvious that better lines of communication need to be established between the trades in order to put an end to the ongoing battle for space.