If you had your choice, would you rather have your main electric panel in a 2×4 or a 2×6 wall?
I’m assuming the logical choice is the 2×6 since it gives you more room to run wires, but just wanted to hear what people thought.
jt8
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Replies
what do you mean by more room ???.
the top and bottom of the panels is all you get for wiring access
what do you mean by more room ???.
In this case, the wiring would be coming through the top plate on its journey to/from the panel. You can cut a bigger hole in the top plate of a 2x6 than a 2x4. Or if you're of the 'lots of little holes' school, you can get more little holes in a 2x6. Plus the 2x6 can be spaced @24", so you have more room sideways (depending on how you've mounted the panel).
I'm not trying to advocate 2x6 or 2x4, I just wanted to hear what people thought.
jt8
"Take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame." -- Erica Mann Jong
I'm an electrician who has only run conduit ....and the problem of wall depth seldom came up ..as.most of the panels went in a basement , sometimes, one would endup in ####laundry or mudroom. but in those days.....late 1900s, ....the walls were still 2x4 and most builders didn't care what the sparkys problems were...but a 2x6 wall would help with all of the separate circuits that everyone thinks they must have, and I'm sure that situation has merely gotten worse since the DIY boom started .........
If it's a heated wall, 2X6 might be better so you could get some insulation behind the box. You could run some 2" conduit up theough the top plates to make the inevitble changes easier down the road.
If something is so complicated that you can't explain it in 10 seconds, then it's probably not worth knowing anyway.
"If it's a heated wall, 2X6 might be better so you could get some insulation behind the box. You could run some 2" conduit up theough the top plates to make the inevitble changes easier down the road."Both good points. Usually in residential construction the cables or conduits fed by the panel are run out of the top and bottom of the panel. Typically there is a stud, or partial stud, on either side of the panel to give it firm support. Running cables into the side of a panel mounted this way is not impossible. It can be A PITA but it can be done. Usually this sort of thing is only done when other options are unavailable. Usually when a small panel is pretty well stuffed and KOs and space in the top and bottom is completely occupied. When this is necessary it usually means the panel is due for an upgrade.
Actually, if it's an outside wall in a cold climate you'd be best to not inset the panel. Too much risk of condensation forming due to poor insulation behind.
If ignorance is bliss why aren't more people
happy?
You can space the studs at whatever you want, but most residential panels i've seen are meant to go in a 14.5" space ie 16"o/c.
I'm a fan of surface mounted panels in a decidated utility room/area. Sure makes life easier when the change that are coming do come.
Either work OK. If you need more top or bottom plate to work with for holes, just bore through the stud and use another bay for wires. You can even bore through the stud to access knockouts on the side of the panel box!
Surface mount on drywall & stud wall looks bad, like an afterthought. Just add 3/4" conduit to a junction box in accesable area for future work. 1" even better. But a panel on a bare basement wall is great for those people who build basements.
Frank DuVal
You can never make something foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
the panels have side KOs...???I would just move the stud over then ......to tick the drywallers off , but hey I was in first...:>)
Another thing to consider is whether or not the panel is in a firewall. If it is you may be required to get additional rock behind and around the panel.
Another thing to consider is whether or not the panel is in a firewall. If it is you may be required to get additional rock behind and around the panel.
This one is a freebie. Non-load bearing, interior, non-firewall. The room on either side of the panel can afford to lose the extra couple inches. The only people I can piss off are the drywallers, and I'm sure an extra stud or some blocking would make them happy.
I didn't see anyone advocating the 2x4 over the 2x6, so I went ahead and put the 2x6 top plate in last night. jt8
"Take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame." -- Erica Mann Jong