Safe Distance From Distribution Boxes

The safe distance for distribution boxes is not a single value; it needs to be considered comprehensively from multiple dimensions, including operation and maintenance, fire and explosion prevention, and installation height.

1. Operation and Maintenance (Ensuring Personal Safety)
This is to ensure that personnel have sufficient space for operation, inspection, and maintenance.

General Principle: There should be enough space and passageway around distribution boxes and switch boxes for two people to work simultaneously, and no items that obstruct operation or maintenance should be placed there. Sufficient safe passage and working space should be maintained around electrical products, and flammable, explosive, and corrosive materials should not be stored there.

Specific Values:
Power Distribution Box: No obstructions within 1.2 meters in front (or below).

Lighting Distribution Box: No obstructions within 0.8 meters in front (or below).

Wall-mounted Distribution Box: The width of the operating passageway in front of the box should not be less than 1 meter.

Strict Management Recommendation: For safety reasons, it is recommended that no items be placed within 1.2 meters; if conditions are difficult, at least 0.8 meters should be maintained.

2. Fire Prevention and Surrounding Environment (Fire Risk Prevention)

Without Combustible Materials: Combustible materials should not be stored within 3 meters of the distribution box.

Without Open Flames: The distance from open flame areas should not be less than 1.5m.

With Gas Pipelines: The horizontal clearance should not be less than 1.0m.

With Water Supply and Drainage Pipes: The clearance should not be less than 0.5m, and the distribution box should be located away from areas where it may be splashed by water.

3. Installation Height (Damage Prevention)

The required height of the distribution box's center point from the ground is to ensure ease of operation and prevent water immersion.

Fixed: The vertical distance from the center point to the ground should be 1.4m to 1.6m.

Mobile: The vertical distance from the center point to the ground should preferably be 0.8m to 1.6m.

Outdoor Floor-Standing: The bottom of the box should be at least 0.2m above the ground.

Indoor Floor-Standing: The bottom of the box should be above the ground; indoors, it should not be less than 50mm above the ground.

4. Other Key Safety Requirements

Passage Exits: When the length of a row of distribution panels exceeds 6 meters, two exits should be provided in the passageway behind the panel; if the distance between two exits exceeds 15 meters, an additional exit should be provided.

Height of Live Parts: The height of exposed live parts above the ground in the distribution room passageway should not be less than 2.5 meters.

High-Voltage and Low-Voltage in the Same Room: If there are exposed busbars on the top of cabinets on both sides of the high-voltage and low-voltage equipment in the same room, the net distance between them should not be less than 2 meters.

Special Reminder: If you are using temporary power at a construction site, there is also a mandatory distance requirement: the distance between the distribution box and the switch box should not exceed 30 meters, and the distance between the switch box and the electrical equipment you control (such as welding machines) should not exceed 3 meters.