NEMA enclosures house all kinds of electrical components from simple terminal blocks, to industrial automation systems, to high voltage switchgear. In industrial automation systems, NEMA enclosures often house motor controls, drives, PLC/PC control systems, pushbuttons, and termination systems. Some enclosures are shaped to be operator consoles.
We offer enclosure part numbers across NEMA 1, 2, 3, 3R, 3S, 4, 4X, 5, 6, 6P, 12, and 13 standards. Our metal enclosures are offered in a wide variety of materials such as painted steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel, and aluminum, while our non-metallic line is offered in polycarbonate and fiberglass.
What is NEMA Enclosure?
NEMA enclosures meet the National Electrical Manufacturers Association standards for performance and protection of the electrical equipment installed within them. NEMA enclosures range in size from small pushbutton boxes to room-size panels. Enclosures are given a NEMA rating according to the types of applications the enclosure serves.
What kind of environment is your enclosure going to be in and what level of protection do you need?
Your enclosure’s primary function is to protect the equipment inside it from the surrounding environment. Therefore, you need to understand the environment where the enclosure will be located and select the appropriate level of protection. An enclosure’s level of protection is defined by its NEMA rating, which are described as follows:
-NEMA 1 enclosures are typically used for protecting controls and terminations from objects and personnel. This style of enclosure, while offering a latching door, does not have a gasketed sealing surface and are used in applications where sealing out dust, oil, and water is not required.
-NEMA 2 enclosures are intended for indoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against limited amounts of falling water and dirt.
-NEMA 3 enclosures are intended for outdoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against windblown dust, rain, sleet, and external ice formation.
-NEMA 3R enclosures are typically used in outdoor applications for wiring and junction boxes. This style of enclosure provides protection against falling rain, sleet, snow, and external ice formation. Indoors they protect against dripping water. This style of enclosure does not have a gasketed sealing surface. Some models have hasps for padlocking.
-NEMA 3S enclosures are intended for outdoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against windblown dust, rain, sleet, and provide operation of external mechanisms when ice laden.
-NEMA 4 enclosures are used in many applications where an occasional washdown occurs or where machine tool cutter coolant is used. They also serve in applications where a pressurized stream of water will be used. NEMA 4 enclosures are gasketed and the door is clamped for maximum sealing.
-NEMA 4X enclosures are made of stainless steel, aluminum, fiberglass, or polycarbonate. NEMA 4X enclosures are used in harsh environments where corrosive materials and caustic cleaners are used. Applications include food, such as meat/poultry processing facilities, where total washdown with disinfectants occur repeatedly, and petro-chemical facilities, including offshore petroleum sites.
-NEMA 5 enclosures are intended for indoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against settling airborne dust, falling dirt, and dripping non-corrosive liquids.
-NEMA 6 enclosures are intended for indoor or outdoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against the entry of water during occasional, temporary submersion at a limited depth.
-6Penclosures are intended for indoor or outdoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against the entry of water during prolonged submersion at a limited depth.
-NEMA 11 enclosures are intended for indoor use primarily to provide, by oil submersion, a degree of protection to enclosed equipment against the corrosive effects of liquids and gases.
-NEMA 12 enclosures are intended for indoor use to provide a degree of protection against drips, falling dirt, and dripping non-corrosive liquids. These enclosures are most commonly used for indoor applications of automation control and electronic drives systems, including packaging, material handling, non-corrosive process control, and manufacturing applications. Gasketed doors seal the enclosure’s contents from airborne contaminants and non-pressurized water and oil.
-NEMA 12K enclosures with knock-outs are intended for indoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against dust, falling dirt, and dripping non-corrosive liquids other than at knock-outs.
-NEMA 13 enclosures are intended for indoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against dust, spraying of water, oil, and non-corrosive coolant.