A panel that does not contain a service disconnect is referred to as what?

A panel that does not contain a service disconnect is referred to as a distribution panel. This type of panel is primarily used to distribute electrical power to different circuits within a building. Unlike a main panel, which has a service disconnect that allows for the complete shutdown of electricity to the building, a distribution panel only distributes power to various subpanels or circuits.

Understanding the roles of different types of panels is important in home inspections, particularly when assessing the safety and compliance of electrical systems. Service disconnects are important safety features, and while distribution panels manage circuit distribution, they take the function of disconnecting service at the point of entry in a main panel. Therefore, recognizing that a distribution panel lacks this feature distinctly categorizes it apart from other panels in the system.