breaker box panel

17 years ago

I just got a new washer and dryer with pedestals.

The dryer is next to the breaker box. The door on the

breaker box will not completely open. It opens so you can

get your hand in to all the breakers. Last night I removed the cover.

I thought it had hinges so I took the door off thinking

I could just put removable pins in the door. No such luck.

Does anyone know how I can put the door back on where it can easily removed when needed? I just need to come up with some way to reattach it.

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Comments (9)

terribletom
17 years ago
This is one of these times a picture would be worth 1000 words. Any chance you could post one?
pharkus
17 years ago
... He has placed an appliance in front of his breaker box, blocking the door from opening.

He then removed the door from the box, because he thought that, by doing so, he could modify the hinges so that he would be able to lift the door off. It didn't work out.

He now has a door that has been removed from the panel, and needs to find a way to put it back on.

My answer is to replace the panel cover (as in, buy a new one), and move the appliance.
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nel5on
Original Author
17 years ago
The appliance can not be moved. I just need a way to reattach the cover. I need the cover to to either slide up or a way the cover can come off when you need excess to the breakers.
hendricus
17 years ago
Is it required to have a cover on the breaker box?

Many years ago I added a small subpanel, 8 breakers, and it did not have a cover for the breaker handles.
brickeyee
17 years ago
"The appliance can not be moved. I just need a way to reattach the cover. I need the cover to to either slide up or a way the cover can come off when you need excess to the breakers."

Unless this is an old installation the area 30 inches wide, 36 inches deep, and 6' high in front of the panel must have nothing in it.
Think of a refrigerator box in front of the panel as the 'clear area.'

Older installations are of course grandfathered..

The panel (technically a cut out box) MUST have a metal cover and the one supplied is part of the 'listing' (approval for use) for the panel.
nel5on
Original Author
17 years ago
The house is 30 years old. There was always a washer or
dryer in front of the box. They fit in a corner of the utility room and the box is on the short side wall.
I just need a way to reatach
the metal cover. I think I could almost just use duct tape and pull it off when I need to get to the breakers.
I just wanted something that looked a little better.
brickeyee
17 years ago
"I think I could almost just use duct tape and pull it off when I need to get to the breakers."

Not and maintain a compliant and safe installation.

If the panel would never open all the way the installation was never code compliant.

Panels have always been required to be 'readily accessible.'
pharkus
17 years ago
The installation was code-compliant up until nel5on here decided he just absolutely had to have that new appliance.

This is an illegal installation, plain and simple.
jmvd20
17 years ago
"The appliance can not be moved.

LOL... WOW... anyway

In reality the priority (and code) for safety is the panel being easily accessible and properly covered. However, since the dryer is obviously much more important - just move the panel out of the way.