They were doing this twenty years ago.
Along with shutting off the water heaters.

Swiping the washers and dryers.

Here in north Alabammy where I've lived all of my life (60+ years), I have NEVER seen a breaker panel on the outside of a dwelling! I've only seen those in movies or the tee-vee.

The closest I have ever seen to outdoors was one in an outdoor-but-attached utility room (late 50's construction), and two in the attached garage (past two houses). All others have been indoors, typically the laundry room!

Personally, I wouldn't want to buy a place that had outdoors breakers... unless there was no other option!

It wasn't uncommon at all to see washers ,dryers, water heaters , a stove and sometimes even a refrigerator on back yard concrete slabs behind homes in Maricopa County.

These homes were built small in the thirties and forties.

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
Here in north Alabammy where I've lived all of my life (60+ years), I have NEVER seen a breaker panel on the outside of a dwelling!

Usually the only electric enclosures on the outsides of homes here will be disconnects for AC units.. Never breaker panels.
The exception that I have seen is on farms with backup generators, where the auto switch and main is mounted outside near the generator.

Outdoor breaker panels are very common on older houses around here . I bought a house that was built in the mid 80's and every house in that subdivision had outdoor panels .

My panel is inside. As it should be.

I had a padlock on my panel box on the outside of the house, then some breakers tripped while I was in Europe and Mrs. Lee was home and left to deal with it. I couldn't remember where the key was, but probably could have found it if I had been home, just couldn't describe it to her over the phone. She wasn't going to be able to Dremel it off. Had to call an electrician, who cut it off and dealt with the breakers.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:
On the outdoor panel, many places have made that code

Code, schmode, I'm not a fan of putting access to my home's systems on the outside of the home.
A master switch is one thing, maybe, but the entire panel? Nuh-uh, man.

I was unclear. Yes it is a master cutoff required outside. Still have individual breakers in panel inside house. Still getting locked, pretty sure every FD carriers better bolt cutters than I own.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:
I was unclear. Yes it is a master cutoff required outside. Still have individual breakers in panel inside house. Still getting locked, pretty sure every FD carriers better bolt cutters than I own.

I wouldn't have any serious issue with a master cutoff switch outside that firefighters could cut a lock off of to disable power... just no outside breaker panels for me!

Every house I have ever owned has the fuse boxes inside (garage usually) but the main breaker box(es) are outside where the main power line comes in. I don't think this is abnormal as some of you think. The breaker for your dishwater is inside but the whole house power is outside which is what I'm reading the scenario as. (of course I have been known to read into things sometimes)

Here the house panel is inside but there is a master cutoff panel outside, per code, so you could open it and kill power to the whole house.

Not necessary to put breaker panel outside in most places but it is required, by National Electric Code to provide an emergency disconnect switch to kill the power to single and two family homes to be outside.
_______________________________________________
225.41 Emergency Disconnects. For one-and two-family dwelling units, an emergency disconnecting means shall be installed.

(A) General.

(1) Location. The disconnecting means shall be installed in a readily accessible outdoor location on or within sight of the dwelling unit.

(2) Rating. The disconnecting means shall have a short-circuit current rating equal to or greater than the available fault current.

(3) Grouping. If more than one disconnecting means is provided, they shall be grouped.