atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums General General Telephone & Systems Information phone board above electrical panels?

The only reasonable location for this new office has the phone board above the two electrical panels in the equipment room. All the power is in conduits, and the phone system would be about 3-4 feet above the top of the two panels? Anyone see an issue with this installation location? I know it's not ideal (especially the height of it), but I think it's all we've got.

Comments?

Thanks,

-jr

Where are the data equipment and patch panels being located ?

There is a big issue with it

There is a 30meg humm that comes from those panels and it can and will bleed onto the voice and data wiring. I know this from experience with a board 3 feet to the left of some panels and we had to relocate them to a different wall all together.

To prove the issue just take your probe and wand it by the panels and you will hear it. Now it may not be 30meg it may be less or more depending on the panel but none the less its there and you really dont want to have to relocate after the fact.

I simply tell them that OSHA requirement keep the phone system not higher than a person can reach to service the equipment.

Additionally, I tell them that when a service tech comes out and can't get access to the equipment, they are paying by the hour for the difficulty to service the equipment.

There always is another place to put it, they don't want to. Often there is a kitchen and an inexpensive screen hides the system, but moves in a few seconds.

Tell him/her only a person who wants big bills to relocate everything would put it there and lets go look around. They come to their senses if you are reasonable and firm.

Yea, that is what I was afraid of. I really don't want to terminate all these only to have to move it later on when they call to complain about "hum on the phones" or something like that.. I will look around some more and try to find another location.

The main problem is the phone/data cables are already run to this general location. Should be enough to relocate it at least a few feet away on a seperate wall.

-jr

Same location as the phone board. Right now all the cables are run to the same location. It's not much data equipment just a switch/router/cable modem.

The main problem is the phone/data cables are already run to this general location. Should be enough to relocate it at least a few feet away on a seperate wall.

Did the electricians run the cable? :bang: If you put this in and have to move it due to problems, do you think you will be paid for your services? And just how happy will this customer be with you?

I have a system that was installed over the electric panel years ago. Now they just expanded and I went in to connect new lines and found sparky had run new conduits right in front of 66 blocks.

From 21 years experience, tell the customer that you are not in the business of ripping off customers, that the location is not suitable do to the electrical service, due to the difficulty in servicing the equipment, and due to the massive probablility of moving it at his/her expense.

Charge him for the hours it takes and do it right. Is there some reason to be afraid of the customer calling someone else, good, let them screw it up and move it for free. Be smarter than the other guys.

You are not allowed to mount equipment above or below electrical panels between floor level and 6' or finished ceiling (whichever is lower).

Dedicated space extends the width of the electrical equipment or 30", whichever is more, and 36" from the front of the equipment.

https://www.sundance-communications.../ubb/get_topic/f/31/t/000011.html#000012
https://www.ecmweb.com/mag/electric_code_basics_4/index.html