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Do electrical panels have to be labeled?
Friday, April 24, 2020
Electrical panel circuits are required to be clearly labeled by the National Electrical Code (NEC 408.4) as follows:
- Every circuit must be legibly identified to its specific purpose or use.
- The identification must be sufficient to distinguish it from all others. In other words, a cluster of 120-volt circuits all called “general purpose,” or “receptacles,” or something like that is not acceptable.
- The circuit directory must be located on the face of panel or inside of the panel door
- Unused (spare) breakers should also be identified.
Also, these additional requirements apply only to commercial (not one-and two-family residential) construction:
- Marking must be permanent, permanently affixed, and durable enough to withstand the environment where located.
- Not handwritten.
Anyone who has ever struggled to read a loose, yellowed and tattered paper circuit directory, written in a faded, hard-to-read scrawl, with things scratched-out and overwritten, hanging by a single piece of tape on the inside of a panel door, will appreciate the reason for this code citation.
Also, see our blog post What is the code required clearance in front of an electric panel?
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Here’s links to a collection of our other blog posts about ELECTRIC PANELS:
• What causes copper wires to turn green or black in an electric panel?
• What is the maximum number of circuit breakers allowed in an electric panel?
• When should a corroded or damaged electric panel cabinet or disconnect box be replaced?
• What is a tandem circuit breaker?
• When did arc fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) breakers first become required?
• Can an electric panel be located in a closet?
• Can an electric panel be located in a bathroom?
• Can you add circuit breakers by different manufacturers to an electric panel if they fit?
• My circuit breaker won't reset. What's wrong?
• What is a split bus electric panel?
• How do I identify a combination AFCI (CAFCI) circuit breaker?
• What does a circuit breaker with a yellow or white test button indicate?
• What are the requirements for NM-cables entering an electric panel box?
• Why is a fuse box/panel an insurance problem for homebuyers?
• Why is bundled wiring in an electric panel a defect?
• What is the difference between GFCI and AFCI circuit breakers?
• Why are old electrical components not always "grandfathered" as acceptable by home inspectors?
• What happens when you press the "TEST" button on a circuit breaker in an electric panel?
• What is a Dual Function Circuit Interrupter (DFCI)?
• What is the difference between "grounded" and "grounding" electrical conductors?
• What does it mean when a wire is "overstripped" at a circuit breaker?
• Why is an old fuse panel dangerous?
• Who is the manufacturer of those "bad" electric panels?
• Why is the circuit breaker stuck in the middle?
• What is a double tap at a circuit breaker?
• What is the right electric wire size for a circuit breaker in an electric panel?
Visit our ELECTRIC PANELS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.
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