Canadian Cabinets and Splitters
Canadian cabinets and splitters have been independently tested and certified to meet the recognized standards for performance and safety by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). Metering enclosures and splitter boxes are designed for indoor and outdoor protection of instrument assemblies, transformers and splitters.
nVent Hoffman splitter boxes split feeder circuit conductors into multiple branch circuit conductors and comes with pre-installed terminal blocks for 3 and 4 wire power distribution systems. The boxes are made of 14 or 16 gauge painted steel with a hinged door and pull latch.
nVent Hoffman splitter troughs split feeder circuit conductors into multiple branch circuit conductors and comes with pre-installed terminal blocks for 3 and 4 wire power distribution systems. The troughs are made of 14 gauge painted steel with a hinged cover and a single-point ground lug.
nVent Hoffman metering enclosures house metering transformers and instrument assemblies in indoor applications. They include one potential transformer and one current transformer panel, one prepunched accessory and a four-lug splitter block. There are gland plates on top of the two-door enclosures for meter connection. The enclosures are made of 14 or 16 gauge painted steel with a hinged door and pull latch. The HQ models meet Hydro-Quebec requirements. Hydro-Quebec is a public utility that manages the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in the Canadian province of Quebec.
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.