Electrical Enclosures

More Information about Electrical Enclosures

You have a lot of options when it comes to electrical enclosures, including wall-mount, free-standing, and junction boxes. You can make wall-mount enclosures out of a variety of materials, but steel is by far the most common. You can mount these enclosures on just about any sort of wall or other surface, so long as you can get at least one of the cross-sectional sides against which to mount it. Wall-mount enclosures are usually pretty small. Free-standing enclosures can be made of any material you like so long as they’re strong enough. With a free-standing enclosure, you can do things like add wheels and even give it the power to move around on its own. Lastly, there is the junction box, which is used to house and protect electrical connections and wiring. These enclosures are suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications, providing flexibility in various environments.

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. These materials ensure that the enclosures can withstand harsh environments, protecting the components inside from various external factors.

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. In addition to these, hazardous location enclosures are designed to protect electrical controls in areas prone to explosions or other hazards.

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.