DB Height

[GCE]

HI

We had an interesting one with a DB in old age homes where the DB's where mounted at 0,9m above ground level - They were placed between the counter top and top cupboards so that they were easily accessible to people in a wheel chair.The prepaid meter was next to the DB towards the front of the counter. Made a whole lot of sense from a practical point but felt it may against the regulations.
If you read the regulations it does allow for the DB to be below the height as long as it is in an enclosure that cannot be reached by infants.We felt that with a door that is lockable we would be within the reg's to sign it off
Took a couple of reads and re reads along with discussions in the workshop before we all agreed.

Bear in mind that the 1,2m is for domestic and often your floor standing DB's in commercial and industrial installations are basically at floor level.
It is also safer to install a separate isolator for a pool Db before the DB and call it a "motor control center" which will then fall under a different set of reg's as long as you do not fed sockets and lights from it.The standard pool DB's that everyone installs does not pass the regulations for a DB.That is another whole argument

6.6.1.6 Any point of a distribution board that has to be reached during
normal operation shall not exceed a height of 2,2 m above floor (or walking)
level. However, the board may be mounted higher if it can be disconnected
from the supply by a switch-disconnector that is less than 2,2 m above floor
level. (See also 5.3.8(b)). Unless a residential distribution board is housed in
an enclosure and direct access cannot be obtained by an infant, no part of
an indoor distribution board shall be less than 1,2 m above the floor level
and no part of an outdoor distribution board shall be less than 0,2 m above
the ground level.

[Dave A]

If you read the regulations it does allow for the DB to be below the height as long as it is in an enclosure that cannot be reached by infants.We felt that with a door that is lockable we would be within the reg's to sign it off

We put in a child resistant catch in that situation to navigate the balance between accessibility requirements for the main switch vs the infant access issue.

The standard pool DB's that everyone installs does not pass the regulations for a DB.

Outdoor. Normally under a pool pump enclosure.
What's the problem?

[Ishmaelmo]

HI

We had an interesting one with a DB in old age homes where the DB's where mounted at 0,9m above ground level - They were placed between the counter top and top cupboards so that they were easily accessible to people in a wheel chair.The prepaid meter was next to the DB towards the front of the counter. Made a whole lot of sense from a practical point but felt it may against the regulations.
If you read the regulations it does allow for the DB to be below the height as long as it is in an enclosure that cannot be reached by infants.We felt that with a door that is lockable we would be within the reg's to sign it off
Took a couple of reads and re reads along with discussions in the workshop before we all agreed.

Bear in mind that the 1,2m is for domestic and often your floor standing DB's in commercial and industrial installations are basically at floor level.
It is also safer to install a separate isolator for a pool Db before the DB and call it a "motor control center" which will then fall under a different set of reg's as long as you do not fed sockets and lights from it.The standard pool DB's that everyone installs does not pass the regulations for a DB.That is another whole argument

6.6.1.6 Any point of a distribution board that has to be reached during
normal operation shall not exceed a height of 2,2 m above floor (or walking)
level. However, the board may be mounted higher if it can be disconnected
from the supply by a switch-disconnector that is less than 2,2 m above floor
level. (See also 5.3.8(b)). Unless a residential distribution board is housed in
an enclosure and direct access cannot be obtained by an infant, no part of
an indoor distribution board shall be less than 1,2 m above the floor level
and no part of an outdoor distribution board shall be less than 0,2 m above
the ground level.

Hi GCE,

Thank you for quoting the regulation. It really answered my question, like said by Dave.

Thanks.