How do you identify the right electrical enclosure for a project?
Short answer
To identify the right enclosure for a project, work through four things in order. First, define the dimensions, both outer and inner, based on the room available where the unit will be installed and what it has to contain. Second, consider the environment, which determines the material, the level of protection needed against dust, water and mechanical stress, and any certificate or functional integrity level you require. Third, evaluate the number of distribution units and the dimensions of the cable cross sections you plan to use. Finally, decide whether you need a transparent lid for visibility, or a specific colour for branding or to help operators.
To identify the best enclosure for your project, work through four things in turn: the dimensions you need, the environment the unit will be installed in, the equipment it has to contain, and practical details such as lid transparency and colour. There is now a wide variety of enclosures available, characterised by different sizes, materials, ingress protection (IP) ratings and levels of mechanical, temperature or chemical resistance, not to mention the range of colours and the degree of opaqueness or transparency, so taking the options in order makes the choice much simpler.
Firstly, it is important to define the dimensions that your enclosure should have. This means considering both the room available where you intend to install your unit and what it should be able to contain, so you should specify both the outer and the inner dimensions. Our portfolio offers solutions with a footprint as little as 3 mm x 2 mm x 1 mm or as wide as 201.5 cm x 90 cm x 58 cm, with inside dimensions ranging from 24 mm to 88 cm.
Secondly, you should consider the environment where the electrical equipment and its housing need to be installed. This helps identify the necessary materials and the level of protection against dust, water and mechanical stress, as well as other agents the enclosure should be able to withstand, such as high or low temperatures, relative humidity, sunlight and weather conditions. This understanding can also guide you in defining any certificate or functional integrity level you may require to ensure the optimal protection of your electrical devices.
Thirdly, you should evaluate the number of distribution units and the dimensions of the cable cross sections you plan to use. It is important that the equipment you intend to protect can physically be contained by the enclosure itself.
Finally, it is time to decide whether you need transparent lids to offer visibility, and whether you should use specific colours to meet your company’s branding guidelines or to support operators during installation, inspection or maintenance activities.
Our product finder tool, available online at https://www.spelsberg.co.uk/product-finder/, uses these parameters to narrow your search and help you identify the best suited enclosures.
If you need a custom solution, our team can develop a unique product for you. You can find out more about customised product development at https://www.spelsberg.co.uk/customising/customised-product-development/customised-product-development/
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