What is the minimum wire bending space allowed in a panelboard being fed with paralleled pairs of 2/0 conductors entering the enclosure through the wall opposite the terminals?

• A. 6 in
• B. 7 in
• C. 8 in
• D. 9 in

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that there must be enough room behind a panelboard to bend and route conductors without crowding or damaging insulation. When feeding with paralleled pairs of large conductors (2/0) entering from the wall opposite the terminals, you need a bit more room to form clean bends and to position the conductors for termination. The minimum bending space specified for this configuration is six inches, which provides sufficient clearance to bend the conductors smoothly and to avoid interference with the busbars and lugs. Less than that could lead to sharp bends or crowding; more space is allowed but not required by this scenario, so six inches is the correct minimum.