Schneider Electric Stainless Steel Enclosures
The superior, reliable electrical protection of stainless steel enclosures from Schneider Electric is the industry standard that the rest of the industry strives to meet. These robust, twin-walled enclosures support highly effective electrical management in the most demanding and safety-critical applications and environments.
The almost universally rugged twin-walled design of Schneider Electric stainless steel enclosures allows for the controlled interior regulation of both temperature and humidity. The design also guarantees excellent EMI and EMC performance.
Schneider Electric enclosures comply with the International Electrotechnical Commission's IP66 rating, which ensures that the enclosed electrical components are fully protected against both dust and water ingress. With this level of protection, the operator can be assured that electrical components enclosed within the enclosure are safe from both dust contamination and water penetration.
Products
Enclosure Selection Basics
Electrical enclosures are cabinets that are designed to house electrical components. Their main function is to protect the components, as well as to protect the operators from electrical hazards. Enclosures are typically made of solid plastics, fiberglass and metal materials, such as carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminum.
One of the most important things to consider when selecting an electrical enclosure is the NEMA rating. NEMA stands for National Electrical Manufacturer Association. They have developed a rating system which determines the types of environments an electrical enclosure can be used in.
NEMA 1 and a NEMA 12 enclosures
Both of these enclosures are intended for indoor use only. They are both dust resistant. The NEMA 12 enclosure is rated for damp environments. The NEMA 1 is rated only for dry environments.
NEMA 4 and NEMA 4X enclosures
Both of these enclosures can be used indoors as well as outdoors. They are both dust resistant. They are also water resistant and corrosion resistant. NEMA 4X has an extra layer of corrosion resistance.
NEMA 7 enclosures
This is a more specific type of enclosure that is rated for use in hazardous environments. It is rated to contain an explosion within the enclosure and not cause any sort of external hazard.
Size
When selecting the size of an enclosure, it is important to consider the following: how much space will the electrical components occupy, how much space is needed around each component, is there enough room to run all of the wires and how much space is needed outside of the enclosure?
Temperature
When selecting an enclosure, it is important to consider both the ambient temperature and the temperature that is generated inside of the enclosure. When an enclosure is located outside in direct sunlight, that heat can be transferred inside the enclosure. Also, each component inside of the enclosure generates a certain amount of heat.