Rotating Breaker Box

[johnnymo]

Hello - I have recently made a wash/laundry room on the other side of my breaker box. I was wondering if it would be too much trouble to simply just rotate the box around to be asscessed from the wash room instead of the main hall to the bedrooms. Right now I have a picture hanging over it. The sheetrock in the wash room has been removed and I can see the back of the box and all the wires going to it.

I have experience with electricity, but am no professional. I have wired small projects, but never messed with the incoming power line. I guess you have to call the power company to turn that sucker off?

Would I be better getting an electician? Or should I just leave my picture hanging over it? Or do it myself?

Thanks...

[Jeff Wisnia]

Sound like "a long run for a short slide". Id suggest leaving it as it is. Something is bound to make the job more difficult than you'd expect it to be and you'll probably reach a point where you'd be sorry you started the job. Not to mention the possibility that the codes in your town may require you to get the work signed off by an electrical inspector, or risk a messy insurance problem downstream if something goes wrong and the truth gets out.

If you want to satisfy your creative urges how about just making a hinged mounting for that picture, with a magnetic catch, so you can just swing it open like a door when you have to get at the breaker box. Like the kind of thing you used to see covering a wall safe in some old movies.

That's what I'd do.

Jeff

[professorpaul]

Your insurance people would be happier for an electrician to do it. Also,the power will have to be cut off. I'd stick with the picture, unless it REALLY bothers you. I've painted the box cover in one I had in a condo the same as the room walls, which was behind a door, except when the door was closed. After a while, you simply don't notice it.

[flansp78]

If it's an eye sore, move it. I would move it given your current situation. Everthing open, wires exposed. It's not that difficult to do. Just need to kill the main and lable all wires to which breajer they came from. If you not comfortable with the move, then hire someone. When I had my panel upgraded from 100amp to 200amp it was about $1000. To move a panel I couldn't image that an electrician would charge much.....Maybe 200 - 300? Get some estimates and determine for yourself.