Home Security: Breaker Box

[james_bond_007]

It appears the box location is a LOCAL spec and not part of the NEC.

Found this for WELD county from their Building and Planning Dept. (Entire article here )

The electrical service disconnecting means containing overcurrent protection (main breaker panel) may be located inside the home at a readily accessible location if the service disconnecting means is placed back-to-back with the metering equipment and the total service conductor length does not exceed 3 ½ feet measured from the exterior wall of the home. The service disconnecting means shall also be located on the ground level. [29.2.70A, Weld County Code]

[sandman76]

In Colorado the power is most generally rear of the lot. This makes it logical to put the electrical service at the rear of the house for the shortest underground or overhead service drop possible. Then economics takes over especially in a track home type situation. Meaning that the panel is placed next to the meter for the least expensive installation.

I cannot count the number of times I've been asked the question of why this is from people that have moved from back East somewhere.

[Jer]

In Colorado the power is most generally rear of the lot.

Maybe where you live. All the houses in Northern Colorado I've built or worked on the electrical service is at the front of the lot, street-side. Low voltage like cable and phone are located at the rear of the lot. Fuse panels on the outside of house are a money saving tactic generally used by larger builders who hire people to save them dimes and pennies. There is no city code in the cities in which I've seen it that requires such a placement of the panel.

[sandman76]

Maybe where you live. All the houses in Northern Colorado I've built or worked on the electrical service is at the front of the lot, street-side. Low voltage like cable and phone are located at the rear of the lot. Fuse panels on the outside of house are a money saving tactic generally used by larger builders who hire people to save them dimes and pennies. There is no city code in the cities in which I've seen it that requires such a placement of the panel.

Yeah, maybe I should have said in the Denver metro area. Which is the area that I've done the electrical work on a shitload of houses since 1977. I do agree, as I said, that economics are the main factor, as bringing the panel inside adds expense. It can be done though.

[TFOGGER]

If somebody cuts our power, the alarm on the computer UPS system will wake us up(it has in the past). Flashlights in several locations about the house, along with strategically placed tripping hazards(dog toys).

[Sparky]

There is a good reason. It is called point of entry. You cannot have unprotected conductors entering your home. Now if you mounted a disconnect next to your meter you can move your panel into the house.

[james_bond_007]

There is a good reason. It is called point of entry. You cannot have unprotected conductors entering your home. Now if you mounted a disconnect next to your meter you can move your panel into the house.

If this is an NEC requirement, I'd like to read through it. (Can you point me to the text to which you refer? )

What I remember in the Midwest (not saying Midwest is better..just different) is that the panels were on the inside, in both the garage and house.
The ones I'm familiar with, power came from overhead lines, down conduit to the outside meter.
Conduit went to the boxes or the boxes were "opposite" the meter on the same wall (and connected in the same "hole" from inside to outside).
There were no disconnects next to the meter.

Note: This was a house a group up in...things may be different for new housing.

Further, if the fire dept. needed to disconnect power, they pulled the meter.

Guess there are a lot of ways to skin a cat.

[newracer]

My house was just built last year. It has a panel on the side of the garage with the main disconnect and a few spaces for breakers. Inside the garage on another wall is the panel with all the breakers for the house.

[asmo]

I have heard its fun to turn all the breakers off, then JB Weld the box shut... while the 'target' is away at work.

[rbeau30]

I have heard its fun to turn all the breakers off, then JB Weld the box shut... while the 'target' is away at work.

And then set the target's neighbor's car alarm so it goes off all day.