Research for an effective controls enclosure can be tough, but is extremely vital.
Making the best decision will ensure important electronics perform well for many years. The wrong solution will cause critical components to overheat, contaminants (dust, dirt, fibers, lint) to enter the inside of the cabinet, and electronics to prematurely fail. These issues will hemorrhage money in the long run. Although it may seem rudimentary, there are several options to consider when choosing an electrical enclosure.
6 Important Factors to Consider that Will Guarantee the Best Solution is Made:
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Environment
The overall environment is critical to choosing the right cabinet. If the electrical enclosure will be installed near water, dust, dirt, grease, or any type of contaminants present in the atmosphere, be familiar with the NEMA or IP rating that will provide the appropriate level of protection. When choosing the right solution, excessive heat is also an area of concern. Internal components need to have ample room to ‘breathe’ inside of an electrical enclosure.
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List of Electronics
Make a list of the internal components that will be installed inside of the cabinet. Understand the amount of heat (wattage) the electronics will produce, as well as the required minimum and maximum operating temperatures. It is important to know if the selected cabinet will be able to dissipate the heat load. For more information, ask an enclosure specialist to provide a cooling/thermal management worksheet. Based on the information provided, an enclosure specialist will be able to calculate and provide an appropriate recommendation for cooling and/or heating the sealed cabinet.
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Accessibility
Will you need to access different sides of the components? For instance, will there be enough space to reach a pertinent wire or is it installed too close to another electrical unit? Consider the maintenance personnel that will service the control enclosure. If the electronics are placed too close together in the cabinet, a normally routine procedure can turn into an arduous, painful task. Always account for enough space! This will provide room for proper airflow and access for technician’s hands.
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Exterior Obstacles
Have a knowledge of any obstacles or structures that will reside on the sides, front, or even back of the electrical enclosure. This information is helpful in determining the swing or span of the door. Consider how cables or conduit will enter/exit the enclosure. Is there a minimum bend radius? If so, this will affect the distance that electronics need to be installed from the cabinet.
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Disconnect Switch
Certain installations may require that a disconnect button or switch be located on the outside of the enclosure. The reason - when triggered, no internal components will have live power. Work with an experienced enclosure provider to configure the precise solution. Maintenance workers will appreciate the well-thought-out strategy and, in turn, efficiently and effectively reduce downtime on service calls.
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Room to Grow
The smallest or least expensive cabinet is not always the best enclosure. Although space equates to a lower cost, consider the long-term maintainability and reliability of the equipment. Does the enclosure provide room to grow? Electronics are ever changing in the marketplace. Do not choose a size that provides just enough space to house the current list of electronics. Consider any potential future components that may need to be installed inside of the cabinet. Remember, if the enclosure is not deep, wide, or tall enough to install a control, the entire system will need to be replaced later. It is not an easy task to change an enclosure once the components have been installed, so make sure it is correct on the first installation!
Examine and consider all options for deploying an enclosure at a factory or manufacturing facility. Before the installation, weigh all of the pros and cons to make an educated decision. It cannot be stressed enough: homework and research, at the beginning, will greatly decrease the need to replace or repair equipment down the road. Finding a solution that will significantly protect and secure equipment can make a huge difference. In turn, purchasing a “cheap” or substandard enclosure can mean downtime and lost money!
For More Information:
-- 5 Helpful Tips for Selecting an Electrical Enclosure
