Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Placement of breaker box in relation to rectifier

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Posted by Tony Ratcliff (Member # 1196) on 05-03-2013, 02:59 PM:

I need to rearrange the wiring in my booth to make room for digital. I am keeping the 35mm operational, but I need to move the 3-phase breaker box feeding the rectifier.
Is it OK to put the breaker box right next to the rectifier, or does it need to be a specified distance away for code/safety reasons.
Right now the box is on the other side of the booth, right where I need to set up digital equipment.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 05-03-2013, 03:37 PM:

Check with your local electrical codes, but here there is a 3' minimum clearance around the electrical panel. You can't put it behind the rectifier or above it because the rectifier would be in the way.

This is a standard electrical-code issue, not a cinema-specific one. Massachusetts has lots of projection-booth-specific code issues, although I don't remember the panel location being one of them. We do have a requirement for 42" of clear space on either side and behind each projector (although that can overlap, such that only 42" are needed between two projectors). Indiana may have something similar.

edit: corrected distance

[ 05-03-2013, 09:41 PM: Message edited by: Scott Norwood ]

Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 05-03-2013, 03:53 PM:

In e booth where we recently installed a digital projector, there had to be a minimum of 36" of clearance around all sides of the projector but that space can be shared by two objects.

e.g. The projector needs 36" and the breaker panel needs 36" but the two things can be placed 36" apart instead of 72".

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 05-03-2013, 08:44 PM:

The International Building Code (IBC 409.2) on projectors is 30" on 3-sides unobstructed.

Posted by Tony Ratcliff (Member # 1196) on 05-04-2013, 03:31 PM:

Thanks guys. I was figuring that there was a minimum space requirement, but I wanted more specific info.