We recently had our electrical service upgraded. The panel is in an attached garage. In the process of upgrading the panel, some of the fire rated drywall was removed. I’m getting ready to hang new drywall but would like to maintain access to the sill where the wires go down into the crawl space and possibly add an access door at the top where the wires go into the attic(ranch no second floor). Does anyone have any products they would recommend for this or code issues or any other issues with installing two small access panels in the wall to facilitate access to the wire?
Thanks
Keith
Replies
You can look for many different access rated panels and hopefully find a couple that would be sized for your openings.
or
If your inspector would allow:
Fit and tape rated drywall around your current panel with cover removed. Size it to a few inches beyond where your cover will fall. Open up whatever space you need above and below the panel. Add blocking to catch your new covers of rated drywall. Make these covers to overlap the existing drywall. Use “J” channel to finish the 4 edges of these panels. Screw over your existing drywall and add finish washers for these screws.
This was exactly my thought, but the panels may require fire rated sealant to the wall.
Also install a 5S junction box in your crawl space and run either several 3/4 flex conduit from panel to 5S or one large conduit to 5S. Then you have your future wiring needs prepped without having to open up your drywall.
Given the remote chance that you will ever need access to these spaces, cutting and patching the drywall is no big deal.
Cut the drywall surrounding the access to the center of the studs and attach it as usual. Cut the panel drywall to fit the opening but do not screw or nail it in place. Just tape the panel in place. Make a careful map of the seams and keep it inside the electric panel cover. If you need access just cut the tape and remove the access drywall panel.
I’m kind of leaning to the last comment. I’m not going to put any insulation in the stud bay. So poking a fish tape up from the crawl space or down from the attic should be a fairly easy task if we add new circuits in the future. Thanks for everyone’s input.
See the above edited comment