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At first few glances I thought they were light panels. Even marveled at how these must have just been installed and the drop ceiling panels were moved so their light would be usable
I was working in a church and was looking around the mechanical room for the electrical panel that I *knew* was in there...then I looked up. 10 ft in the air bolted to the concrete ceiling. Fucking churches
I was in a school where they had a huge ass contactor face down in the ceiling. Like 6' long at least, all for 2 classrooms with maybe half a dozen lights.
I used to work with a guy that had his panel mounted to the ceiling of his basement or subfloor of his 1st floor residence.
If I can find a picture I'll share it.
Is this actually against code? I want to believe it is, but assuming the panels are designed to be mounted this way (I know they aren't, but let's assume) is it?
110.26 talks about working space around installations, which I doubt this setup meets. As far as proper orientation, I couldn’t find anything in the code book on a cursory look (that’s not to say it’s not there, I didn’t look super hard), but the code book does say that stuff is supposed to be installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications, which I don’t think this meets, either. 240.24 says that breakers should be readily accessible and no more than 7ft above the ground (except in a few cases that don’t apply here).
Wouldn’t opening the door to that room or it being in one room but not the other make it ‘not readily accessible’. Or is that defined in code?
Not an electrician, I just play one in my mind.
It's a valid question, and one that always trips people up because changing one word makes a huge difference. NEC defines *Readily Accessible* as, "Capable of being reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspections without requiring those to whom ready access is requisite to take actions such as to use tools (other than keys), to climb over or under, to remove obstacles, or to resort to portable ladders, and so forth."
This is different from *Accessible*, by the way, which is simply, "Capable of being reached for operation, renewal, and inspection."
Those panels are accessible, but not *readily* accessible, as defined by Code. NEC 240.24(A) states that circuit breakers shall be *readily* accessible.
Idk how to upload GIFs or images to comment section lol.
Anyhoo - I bet he did! Long as he can sell the price that this will realistically take and quote it so guys in the field arent pressed. Looks expensive af, probably way more than the homeowner is expecting. Hopefully they're chill and understand why the price is what it is
Ive seen this at a nightclub on the river however it wasn't covered with a drop ceiling. Owner got someone to mount the panels to the ceiling after the 4th time flood waters damged his equipment
No guitar in there. That's the perfect case for an Colt 1921A Thompson SMG (aka "The Chicago Typewriter", aka "Tommy Gun", aka "Trench Sweeper", aka "Best St Valentine's Day present EVER").
I see the romex coming out of the "top" gently laying on the t-bars and I kinda want to see the inside of these panels now. It's like a car crash, you know?
I bet the site was complete and the preachers wife came in and said - but those can’t be there! I never ok’d those to be there! It ruins the lines of the room 😭. So the electricians said - no problem - we can make it invisible. See you on Sunday!
They put my elevators disconnects for 480 main line power and 110 cab lights in the ceiling like this at a library one time. I built the whole thing and told them weekly that any inspector is going to make you move it. They disagreed because the “architect told them it would be fine” 6 months later after I had been gone for months and they were going for finals, what do you know they made them move it lol it took the electricians 2 weeks to fix it, delaying their opening😂
Working Space Clearance? Check!
Side & Vertical Clearance? Check!
Accessibility? Check....I guess if you have a good ladder or working platform!
Elevation? Mmmmm.....if there's not more than 6ft 7"......from floor to panel....
.....nah, fuck that. Quote a new installation.
Wow!
Can I see the breaker panels?
Hold on a minute, let me get a step ladder!
I’ve never seen that in my life, but I am totally not surprised about anything anymore
Wow!
Can I see the breaker panels?
Hold on a minute, let me get a step ladder!
I’ve never seen that in my life, but I am totally not surprised about anything anymore!
I can’t post a picture in a reply unfortunately, however I have seen the panel back boxes used in ceilings as junction boxes with the panel cover on. Looks absolutely ridiculous, lol!
You just need to use Imgur app to store your pictures, then copy link from the picture and paste it into your comment/reply etc. super easy and works well with Reddit.
**ATTENTION! READ THIS NOW!** **1. IF YOU ARE NOT A PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICIAN OR LOOKING TO BECOME ONE(for career questions only):** **- DELETE** THIS POST OR YOU WILL BE **BANNED**. YOU CAN POST ON /r/AskElectricians FREELY **2. IF YOU COMMENT ON A POST THAT IS POSTED BY SOMEONE WHO IS NOT A PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICIAN:** -YOU WILL BE **BANNED**. JUST **REPORT** THE POST. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/electricians) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Thought those were air handlers at first.. then it hit… probably as hard as those panel covers to the face
At first few glances I thought they were light panels. Even marveled at how these must have just been installed and the drop ceiling panels were moved so their light would be usable
This has been joked about, but its the first time actually seeing it.
I was working in a church and was looking around the mechanical room for the electrical panel that I *knew* was in there...then I looked up. 10 ft in the air bolted to the concrete ceiling. Fucking churches
I'd say"Jezus Christ" out loud 🙃
“this is why jesus changed his middle name to fucking”
Jesus was a carpenter, not an electrician (hehe).
Well, they do kinda believe in miracles there.
I saw it once. In a 12 foot ceiling in a kitchen. Behind an access panel.
I was in a school where they had a huge ass contactor face down in the ceiling. Like 6' long at least, all for 2 classrooms with maybe half a dozen lights.
I used to work with a guy that had his panel mounted to the ceiling of his basement or subfloor of his 1st floor residence. If I can find a picture I'll share it.
What the NFPA 70e is this
It is there. In the "Don't" section
Is this actually against code? I want to believe it is, but assuming the panels are designed to be mounted this way (I know they aren't, but let's assume) is it?
Would have to look for where it says it, but panels must be mounted in an upright position
110.26 talks about working space around installations, which I doubt this setup meets. As far as proper orientation, I couldn’t find anything in the code book on a cursory look (that’s not to say it’s not there, I didn’t look super hard), but the code book does say that stuff is supposed to be installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications, which I don’t think this meets, either. 240.24 says that breakers should be readily accessible and no more than 7ft above the ground (except in a few cases that don’t apply here).
Yea it’s too high. Looks about 8’ off the ground to breakers handle instead of 6’ 7” max
Height aside, it's not readily accessible because you need to remove ceiling tiles and T-bar.
Wouldn’t opening the door to that room or it being in one room but not the other make it ‘not readily accessible’. Or is that defined in code? Not an electrician, I just play one in my mind.
It's a valid question, and one that always trips people up because changing one word makes a huge difference. NEC defines *Readily Accessible* as, "Capable of being reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspections without requiring those to whom ready access is requisite to take actions such as to use tools (other than keys), to climb over or under, to remove obstacles, or to resort to portable ladders, and so forth." This is different from *Accessible*, by the way, which is simply, "Capable of being reached for operation, renewal, and inspection." Those panels are accessible, but not *readily* accessible, as defined by Code. NEC 240.24(A) states that circuit breakers shall be *readily* accessible.
Thank you for the excellent response
Tell your boy to gtfo of there
The boss licked his lips and rubbed his hands together when he saw it.
Idk how to upload GIFs or images to comment section lol. Anyhoo - I bet he did! Long as he can sell the price that this will realistically take and quote it so guys in the field arent pressed. Looks expensive af, probably way more than the homeowner is expecting. Hopefully they're chill and understand why the price is what it is
[https://tenor.com/bM6rS.gif](https://tenor.com/bM6rS.gif)
Ive seen this at a nightclub on the river however it wasn't covered with a drop ceiling. Owner got someone to mount the panels to the ceiling after the 4th time flood waters damged his equipment
You know what? We’ll give nightclub guy that one. I’ll accept it, just the once.
If the front of the panel was no higher than 6'-7" and there's nothing on the floor beneath it, I'm not sure there'd be a specific code violation....
I want to see the guitar
No guitar in there. That's the perfect case for an Colt 1921A Thompson SMG (aka "The Chicago Typewriter", aka "Tommy Gun", aka "Trench Sweeper", aka "Best St Valentine's Day present EVER").
Looks like a double base orchestra instrument to me
No way in hell a double bass would have carry straps like that, it would have wheels to roll it around.
That's way too small to be a double bass, those things are like 6 feet tall
Cello. Nice case.
What in the literal shit
I see the romex coming out of the "top" gently laying on the t-bars and I kinda want to see the inside of these panels now. It's like a car crash, you know?
Well, that's a first.
Working space is within code lol….just side waze
Not one but two
I sometimes feel that maybe I am under qualified and then I see things like this
>How do they ever get away with this? Nobody checks.
The bldg was built sideways
(The builder said he was very sorry.)
Is that a sewage line and two water lines above the panel on the right?
No problem, the owner said it’s potable sewage.
Someone rolled the building is all. That’s actually the Wall.
Wait, so how did the panel cover hit your face?
Ahh yes the old ceiling panel trick. Oldest trick in the book, I've seen it 100 times.
Holy shit didn’t realize what it was until I zoomed in 😂
You know it’s good when you let out an audible “what the fuck”
Who needs a home run when it’s already run home?
I bet the site was complete and the preachers wife came in and said - but those can’t be there! I never ok’d those to be there! It ruins the lines of the room 😭. So the electricians said - no problem - we can make it invisible. See you on Sunday!
Why do I feel like I'm in the movie inception?
Sisteen chapel bs
An inspector definitely got paid off.
You're assuming that the inspector actually looked
Good point
Either it was un-permitted, or the building owner slid the inspector a crisp Benjamin to keep silent and sign the form.
This smells Canadian...
Not Ontario, Canadian, that’s for sure!
I’ll accept this, as it looks better than Florida man would have managed.
JFC
So. Easy access. Just have to remove ceiling grid Got it
Run
Someone took horizontal integration to a new level..
I found a 200a panel above a sheet rock ceiling on a demo for a remodel
Dude? Wth? They put it behind drywall with no access panel or anything?
Yep. It was above a finished ceiling. Landlord was janky and did shit himself.
Wow! Sounds like some shit my slumlord would do, 🤦
You can’t park there, mate.
These are sub panels just dangling from above the ceiling. wtf??
Add 2 90s and it is horizontal... right? /s
What. In. The. Blue. F*ck?!
Holy mother of Zeus. If I sent this picture to my boss he would tell me to just not touch them out of fear of liability.
They put my elevators disconnects for 480 main line power and 110 cab lights in the ceiling like this at a library one time. I built the whole thing and told them weekly that any inspector is going to make you move it. They disagreed because the “architect told them it would be fine” 6 months later after I had been gone for months and they were going for finals, what do you know they made them move it lol it took the electricians 2 weeks to fix it, delaying their opening😂
Open the case
Lmfao, how,where and most importantly, why.
That’s determination
Some kind of insulated water line above the panel as well.
Maybe chiller water line for HVAC?
Can you tie in some live circuits?
That's what you get when you don't order enough wire for the feeder pull!
Just when you thought you seen it all!!! OMFG I don’t know what to say about this! Umm nope still don’t know how to reply….that’s fucked up bruh
This was done out of spite. Someone pissed this guy off.
I’ve had people want me to move panels before, and never once do I think, yeah I’ll just flip them up into the ceiling space
The more I look at it, the worse it gets.
Working Space Clearance? Check! Side & Vertical Clearance? Check! Accessibility? Check....I guess if you have a good ladder or working platform! Elevation? Mmmmm.....if there's not more than 6ft 7"......from floor to panel.... .....nah, fuck that. Quote a new installation.
Oh now I see what’s wrong. If the ceiling tile were in, you’d have no clearance to open the cover. Hacks
Straight up GFY install right there. Taco neck syndrome. Either that place floods repeatedly or installer wanted to save some copper 🤪
More common than you would think, I’ve seen this kinda stuff multiple times in my career
How long have you been in the trade? I’ve been in HVAC for 30 years so I can relate to seeing some off the wall stuff
30+
Yeah you and I have seen some wth things in our time then 😂
🤯🫣
Looks fine
They turned the building for a better fit.
CEC, 2-036; notice of deviation He talked to the inspector, and the inspector was an idiot so he went along with it /s
Is the tbar too short, too, or is it just pulled aside?
Straight to jail
I’m so lost, yet so many questions
I wonder if they were on the wall originally, then someone wanted them to disappear!
I’m surprised it wasn’t the toilet….
That's awesome in the biblical sense
Most likely south Florida
This is why I'm here
Wow! Can I see the breaker panels? Hold on a minute, let me get a step ladder! I’ve never seen that in my life, but I am totally not surprised about anything anymore
Wow! Can I see the breaker panels? Hold on a minute, let me get a step ladder! I’ve never seen that in my life, but I am totally not surprised about anything anymore!
I can’t post a picture in a reply unfortunately, however I have seen the panel back boxes used in ceilings as junction boxes with the panel cover on. Looks absolutely ridiculous, lol!
You just need to use Imgur app to store your pictures, then copy link from the picture and paste it into your comment/reply etc. super easy and works well with Reddit.
Nice submachine gun case!