Front connected switchgear assembly having an integrated arc flash venting system

A method of providing a switchgear assembly having an integrated arc flash venting system, the method comprising:

• providing a circuit breaker section having a switchgear roof, a front, a rear and a top, wherein the circuit breaker section including:
• an arc flash vent stack having blow open flaps disposed on the switchgear roof to exhaust arc flash gases and contaminants away from the front of the circuit breaker section, towards the rear of the circuit breaker section and the top of the circuit breaker section,
• a circuit breaker compartment having a back wall forming a back of the circuit breaker compartment,
• a back vent opening formed in the back wall for the passage of all the arc flash gases and contaminants, and
• a bus compartment, wherein all of the arc flash gases and contaminants pass through the back vent opening in the circuit breaker compartment and into the bus compartment wherein the bus compartment forms a single pathway for channeling all of the arc flash gases and contaminants to the arc flash vent stack;
• and
• providing a cable section having a side wall and a top, wherein the cable section including:
• one or more lug pads, and
• a side vent panel formed in the side wall for the passage of all the arc flash gases and contaminants,
• wherein all of the arc flash gases and contaminants pass through the side vent panel in the side wall of the cable section and into the bus compartment wherein the bus compartment forms a single pathway for channeling all of the arc flash gases and contaminants to the arc flash vent stack,
• wherein the cable section is situated on a side of the circuit breaker section such that a length of the cable section runs parallel to a length of the circuit breaker section running from the front and the rear of the circuit breaker section.