# Plumbing distance from Circut Panel



## Dragon (Aug 1, 2006)

Howdy,
I am building a new home and recently I was told that our water softner was installed too close to the circut panel according to code.

Can anyone tell me what the distance away should be? Can any pipes be in the area around the panel? Or does the panel just have to be accessible?

We haven't had final inspection yet but the building inspector has been out before and has not said anything about it. I just want to be proactive if something needs to be changed now.

Any input you have is appreciated.

Thanks,
Gary


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## Brik (Jan 16, 2007)

Told by whom? If you are having a house built and the code enforcement guy had an issue then he should have communicated it to the contractor and it would be fixed. If its just some buddy who is speculating then thats a different issue. How far away are the pipes? Can you supply a picture? Someone will soon be along with a typical code reference for clearances at the panel your jurisdiction may or may not follow the particular code referenced though. Maybe a polite inquiry to your contractor?


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## jwhite (Mar 12, 2006)

The panel needs a clearance of 36 inches wide by 36 inches deep from anything. This zone extends from the floor to the ceiling.

If you have anything in this zone, you are in violation.


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## Clutchcargo (Mar 31, 2007)

jwhite said:


> The panel needs a clearance of 36 inches wide by 36 inches deep from anything. This zone extends from the floor to the ceiling.
> 
> If you have anything in this zone, you are in violation.


Minor correction, 30" wide NEC 110.26


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## Dragon (Aug 1, 2006)

Hopefully the photo shows up. First time I have included a photo. The photo is a panoramic that was stiched together from 3 photos and that is why there is a slight bowed distortion in the photo. (yes, people have asked, when I send photos like these, if the wall or whatever is bowed out like that in real life.)

The photo shows my panel and on the left hand side are waterlines that supply my exterior hose bibs. They have quarter turn ball valves that let me isolate the line completly and then at the bottom there is a valve for draining the line for the winter.

Center of the photo is the main and sub panel.

To the right of the panel is the black control box for our well pump and just beyond that is the lines running to and from the water softner. The whit box poking into the frame, lower right is the top of the softner.

Clutchcargo... Is that 30" a total figure from side to side or does that mean 30" to the left, 30" to the front and 30" to the right right in a sweeping arc?

The floorspace right in front of the panel, just out of frame, is completly clear.

What does everyone think?

Thanks!


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

Looks ok to me. The 30" space does NOT need to be centered, so both panels still have their required 30". 
Each panel does not need it's own 30".


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## jwhite (Mar 12, 2006)

I was corrected. It is 30 inches wide, and 36 deep, floor to ceiling.

So it makes a cube shape.

As stated 30 inches can be centered anywhere you like, but the panel must be in the 30 inchs. If the panels are together wider than 30 inches then you would use the width of the panels.

Your install looks fine.


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## Brik (Jan 16, 2007)

Looks like nice neat jobs for both the plumbing and electrical contractors too. 

I note your water softener is in bypass mode. I assume you are not using it at the moment. Just make sure you have water directed through it when you start using it or you may wonder why you do not have soft water!


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## Mia The EE (Jul 8, 2021)

Clutchcargo said:


> Minor correction, 30" wide NEC 110.26


This is incorrect, The spacing by NEC 100.26 is for working space and only refers to front panel access.


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## RAL238 (May 20, 2018)

This is a 14 year old thread.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

#1  ·  Apr 12, 2007


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