What is the difference between a distribution panel and a control panel?

• A. A distribution panel enclosures house switches; control panels are not used for circuits
• B. A distribution panel feeds multiple branch circuits; control panel houses devices to control equipment
• C. A control panel feeds power to all building loads; distribution panel controls equipment
• D. There is no difference; both perform the same function

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is that these two panels have different roles in an electrical system. A distribution panel is where power from the main service is split into multiple branch circuits and protected by individual breakers. It’s all about delivering electrical power safely to the building’s lighting, outlets, and equipment by distributing it to many circuits.

A control panel, on the other hand, isn’t primarily about feeding building loads. It houses the devices that operate and automate equipment—things like controllers, relays, contactors, timers, sensors, and sometimes a PLC or HMI. Its main purpose is to control how machinery or processes run, not to supply power to the entire building.

So the best description is that the distribution panel feeds multiple branch circuits, while the control panel houses devices to control equipment. The other options either misstate what each panel contains or reverses their functions, and there is a real difference between the two.