A Virginia contractor installs a 200-amp electrical panel. The USBC requires a working space of 30 inches wide and 36 inches deep in front of the panel. If the panel is 20 inches wide, what is the minimum room width required?
Correct Answer
B) 50 inches
The working space requirement is independent of panel width. Minimum room width = 30 inches (working space width) + 20 inches (panel width) = 50 inches total.
Why This Is the Correct Answer
The minimum room width must accommodate both the panel itself and the required 30-inch working space width centered on the panel (or measured from the panel edge). The calculation is: panel width (20 inches) + required working space width (30 inches) = 50 inches total minimum room width. The 36-inch depth requirement governs how far in front of the panel must remain clear, not the room width.
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Option A: 56 inches
56 inches incorrectly adds the 36-inch depth requirement to the 20-inch panel width. The depth requirement (36 inches) applies to the clear space in front of the panel, not to the room's side-to-side measurement.
Option C: 30 inches
30 inches is only the required working space width — it ignores the 20-inch width of the panel itself. The room must be wide enough for the panel plus the required working clearance.
Option D: 36 inches
36 inches is only the required depth of the working space in front of the panel. This dimension relates to front-to-back clearance, not the room's minimum width.
Memory Technique
Remember: Width + Width = Room Width. The panel's width (20") PLUS the required working space width (30") equals the minimum room width (50"). The 36" is depth — how far you can stand back, not how wide the room needs to be.
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