This discussion is locked.
You cannot post a reply to this discussion. If you have a question start a new discussion

Side clearance for LV switchgear

Hi all,

I hope we're keeping well.

I have a question on if there are any legal requirements on the clearance on the sides of LV panel boards.

The reason I ask is that I'm looking to extend the panel board. As an Energy Engineer, I have designed a rooftop solar array for one of our manufacturing sites and we require an additional 1400 A, for which we don't currently have the necessary capacity in our 3200A main service panel. There are only x3 250 A spares. As such, I've been speaking with our panel board manufacturers, and given them my designs and requirements, for which they have specified a new MCCB that will extend the board by 768 mm.

Please refer to the attached images. As you can see below, where the tape measurer is, it measures 1.2 meters from the side of the panel to the wall.

To extend the length of the panelboard by 768 mm, it would give me a clear space of circa 460 mm.

I know there are legislative requirements for the distance from the front of the panel to the wall to be 1.0 m, which we comfortably have and there are no alterations to be made here. But I am wondering if there is anything in legislation specifying what the distance would be to the sides of panels. I certainly don't see anything that specifies what the distance has to be.

There is a small black ladder drawn onto the image for the possibility to create a hatch from the concrete to provide additional space for when anybody needs to get to the back of the panel board.

Could anyone please advise? Your input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks very much for your time.

Parents
  • Is this the sort of situation that section 729 would apply to? (genuine questions, I've always been unsure of it's intended scope)

       - Andy.

Reply
  • Is this the sort of situation that section 729 would apply to? (genuine questions, I've always been unsure of it's intended scope)

       - Andy.

Children
No Data