Inner door panels
Inner door panels
(OP)
We are manufacturering a NEMA 4 control panel with an "inner door" (a door inside the enclosure) The inner door has H-O-A switches, pilot lights, hourmeters and ampmeters. Usually we make cutouts for the circuit breakers or Manual motor protectors whereas you can reset them without opening the inner door. Looks nice but is a pain to do, especially with breakers/MMP's of different heights.
Question.....how many of you do this (make the cutouts) or do you not cutout the inner door?
Then require the inner door to be opened to reset them.
As access to the CB's/MMP's isn't normally required to operate the system is the cutout a waste of time?
Is there any code that addresses these inner doors?
Thanks!!
Question.....how many of you do this (make the cutouts) or do you not cutout the inner door?
Then require the inner door to be opened to reset them.
As access to the CB's/MMP's isn't normally required to operate the system is the cutout a waste of time?
Is there any code that addresses these inner doors?
Thanks!!





RE: Inner door panels
RE: Inner door panels
RE: Inner door panels
Maybe I'm missing something?
David Baird
mrbaird@hotmail.com
Sr Controls Engineer
EET degree.
Journeyman Electrician.
RE: Inner door panels
RE: Inner door panels
mckywood, what OSHA reg. are you trying to comply with that requires an inner door with cutouts?
Thanks again
RE: Inner door panels
having the cutouts should give us that extra protection so maybe we would not have to suit up for such problems.
RE: Inner door panels
David Baird
mrbaird@hotmail.com
Sr Controls Engineer
EET degree.
Journeyman Electrician.
RE: Inner door panels
brinkmann27,
What I did (when I was designing panels) for the motor breakers or manual motor protectors, was to use their through-door operating mechanism, but remove the door interlocking components so that the door could be opened for testing/troubleshooting without needing to turn off those devices first. We always had a main CB that WAS interlocked with the door so that only authorized technicians could have access, but with the new arc flash regs, I don't see that being allowed any longer either.
I have observed many panels over the years where the motor protection devices have had cut-outs in the door so that their basic handles extended through, but I agree that it is a pain to make those cuts. One thing I have seen, but never used, was a special punch set for a hydraulic punch that made the correct shaped hole for a Seimens MPS in one operation. I don't know if that punch and die set was custom made or available off-the-shelf, but it was with a Haewa punch system. http://www.haewacorp.com/More%20Products.htm
The other trick, if you don't already know it, for odd shaped cutouts like that is to use a plasma cutter and a steel template. We did that for meters and instrumentation devices that we used frequently and it makes it a breeze IF you already have the plasma cutter.
"Venditori de oleum-vipera non vigere excordis populi"