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enter image description hereI have an external tankless water heater above and to the side of an electrical panel. This is a work in progress, but does this arrangement conform to the electrical code?

I've read what I could find about this situation and that seems to say no issues as long as the panel itself has the required 30" clearance. Am I missing anything?

keerz
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    I'm no plumber, but it seems like if the panel is rated for weather it's also rated for plumbing leaks. :) – isherwood Dec 05 '23 at 17:17
  • The pipes are going to freeze! "I'm in a place that hasn't had significant freezes for centuries" well good thing the weather isn't changing any! – Harper - Reinstate Monica Dec 05 '23 at 22:52
  • Yes, Adding insulation to the pipes is on the list – keerz Dec 07 '23 at 21:57
  • So I think the location of the tankless relative to the panel is ok code wise. The other bit I'm still a little confused on is the panel working space – keerz Dec 07 '23 at 21:58

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The working space for the panel stops at 6'7" (2m) from the ground, (or the top of the equipment if that's higher) and this appears to be outside that, as well as being off to one side.

Plumbing can run above even an internal box; leaks there will cause problems but it's not forbidden; in this case the fact that the box is an exterior box should make it far more resistant to leaks causing problems.

Ecnerwal
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  • The other clearance here to keep in mind is the clearance from the window, but that's typically 12 inches for mounting above the window, so this looks good to go. – KMJ Dec 05 '23 at 20:33
  • I updated the pic with more info. Is the working space to be measured from the front of the panel? The bell I can remove easily. Would that leave me with an acceptable working space? – keerz Dec 07 '23 at 21:54
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You need to pick a 30” wide working space for the panel. It does not need to be centered, but it does need to cover the entire width of the panel and have 36” standback room, and 6'6' tall, and with a flat surface. It cannot have anything in that box. Not bells, plants, or hose reels.

Harper - Reinstate Monica
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  • I'm a bit confused about "working space". I added more info to the pic. If I take the bell away, would that leave me with an acceptable working space? – keerz Dec 07 '23 at 21:56
  • No you're fine @Keerz because of the high height of the panel. I'm used to seeing them, like, 36" above the ground. LOL I love how you can lean out a window and reset a breaker. – Harper - Reinstate Monica Dec 09 '23 at 05:45
  • Many thanks for responding. I picked a different answer as I was mixing up two questions into one (new to this). – keerz Dec 12 '23 at 19:38