Can a load center with a main breaker be mounted rotated 90 degrees
such that the main breaker is on the left (side ) rather than the more
normal position, at the top?

The load center I'm considering is ebay item 130313028566 and
mounting it with the breaker on the left rather than the top would
make installation easier.

I'm replacing a Square D 816 load center that is too congested. The
neutral bus is maxed out, I added a larger ground bar but the neutral
(at one wire per screw) has no spares.

The 816 is about 9" x 12".... the one I'm considering is about 15"
square.

cheers
Bob

Can a load center with a main breaker be mounted rotated 90 degrees
such that the main breaker is on the left (side ) rather than the more
normal position, at the top?

The load center I'm considering is ebay item 130313028566 and
mounting it with the breaker on the left rather than the top would
make installation easier.

I'm replacing a Square D 816 load center that is too congested. The
neutral bus is maxed out, I added a larger ground bar but the neutral
(at one wire per screw) has no spares.

The 816 is about 9" x 12".... the one I'm considering is about 15"
square.


*My first thought is no. The manufacturers usually specifically say in the
instructions what positions the panel can be mounted in and most of the time
it is with the main on the top or bottom. The electrical inspector will
consider that. Call your inspector and see what he says.

On Jul 2, 1:31�am, BobK207 wrote:
Can a load center with a main breaker be mounted rotated 90 degrees
such that the main breaker is on the left (side ) rather than the more
normal position, at the top?

The load center I'm considering is ebay item �130313028566 � � �and
mounting it with the breaker on the left rather than the top would
make installation easier.

I'm replacing a Square D 816 load center that is too congested. �The
neutral bus is maxed out, I added a larger ground bar but the neutral
(at one wire per screw) has no spares.

The 816 is about 9" x 12".... the one I'm considering is about 15"
square.

cheers
Bob

if yours is a main the middle group insppector told me grounds and
neutrals can be on the same buss bar.

but NOT on a sub panel!b they must be seperate

On Jul 2, 8:12�am, bob haller wrote:
On Jul 2, 1:31 am, BobK207 wrote:





Can a load center with a main breaker be mounted rotated 90 degrees
such that the main breaker is on the left (side ) rather than the more
normal position, at the top?

The load center I'm considering is ebay item 130313028566 and
mounting it with the breaker on the left rather than the top would
make installation easier.

I'm replacing a Square D 816 load center that is too congested. The
neutral bus is maxed out, I added a larger ground bar but the neutral
(at one wire per screw) has no spares.

The 816 is about 9" x 12".... the one I'm considering is about 15"
square.

cheers
Bob

if yours is a main the middle group insppector told me grounds and
neutrals can be on the same buss bar.

but NOT on a sub panel!b they must be seperate- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I looked at the perspective panel.

To minimize doing this upgrade again at least go with a 20 slot panel.

This is way too small

In article , BobK207 wrote:
Can a load center with a main breaker be mounted rotated 90 degrees
such that the main breaker is on the left (side ) rather than the more
normal position, at the top?

No. That would change the orientation of the individual circuit breakers from
horizontal to vertical, which would put half of your breakers in violation of
this provision of the Code:

"Where circuit breaker handles are operated vertically rather than
rotationally or horizontally, the 'up' position of the handle shall be the
'on' position." [2008 NEC, Article 240.81]

That language has been in the Code for at least fifteen years.

On Jul 2, 1:31*am, BobK207 wrote:
Can a load center with a main breaker be mounted rotated 90 degrees
such that the main breaker is on the left (side ) rather than the more
normal position, at the top?

The 816 is about 9" x 12".... the one I'm considering is about 15"
square.

If it's 15" square what difference does it make which way it's
mounted? It takes up the same amount of space.

In article , wrote:
On Jul 2, 1:31=A0am, BobK207 wrote:
Can a load center with a main breaker be mounted rotated 90 degrees
such that the main breaker is on the left (side ) rather than the more
normal position, at the top?

The 816 is about 9" x 12".... the one I'm considering is about 15"
square.

If it's 15" square what difference does it make which way it's
mounted? It takes up the same amount of space.

Well, he said it would make installation easier... but I suspect that isn't
really true, since most load centers have multiple knockouts for the service
conductors -- typically on the top, bottom, left and right sides, and back.
Pretty much regardless of where his conductors are, he should be able to mount
the box as *required* by Code (see my earlier post in this thread) and have a
knockout somewhere that can be used to bring the conductors in.

On 2009-07-02, BobK207 wrote:

Can a load center with a main breaker be mounted rotated 90 degrees
such that the main breaker is on the left (side ) rather than the
more normal position, at the top?

As Doug Miller points out, the applicable rule is:

"Where circuit breaker handles are operated vertically rather than
rotationally or horizontally, the 'up' position of the handle shall be
the 'on' position." [2008 NEC, Article 240.81]

I take this to mean that if you rotate the load center, you can only
populate those breaker positions that comply with the rule. For a
typical load center, this means that only half of the branch circuit
breakers can be used. Likewise, if there is a main breaker, that
forces you to use only one of the two possible rotated orientations.

Cheers, Wayne

In article , Wayne Whitney wrote:
[...]
Likewise, if there is a main breaker, that
forces you to use only one of the two possible rotated orientations.

Well, that depends on the main. If the main breaker throws vertically when the
box is oriented vertically, then turning the box 90 degrees either direction
still leaves the main breaker throwing horizontally.

On 2009-07-02, Doug Miller wrote:

Well, that depends on the main. If the main breaker throws
vertically when the box is oriented vertically, then turning the box
90 degrees either direction still leaves the main breaker throwing
horizontally.

Good point.

Thanks, Wayne

On Wed, 1 Jul 2009 22:31:36 -0700 (PDT), BobK207
wrote:

Can a load center with a main breaker be mounted rotated 90 degrees
such that the main breaker is on the left (side ) rather than the more
normal position, at the top?

The load center I'm considering is ebay item 130313028566 and
mounting it with the breaker on the left rather than the top would
make installation easier.

I'm replacing a Square D 816 load center that is too congested. The
neutral bus is maxed out, I added a larger ground bar but the neutral
(at one wire per screw) has no spares.

The 816 is about 9" x 12".... the one I'm considering is about 15"
square.

cheers
Bob


Like many houses around here my Main is upsidedown. I can't see any
reason you can mount the box on its side, probably better with the
door hinge on the bottom.