Preventing Electrical Enclosure Flooding

♦ Preventing electrical enclosure flooding is a major issue but it’s not just inundation security technicians need to look out for.

Any security device installed in the field is subject to extremes of weather and this applies doubly to electrical enclosures supporting security installations, which contain power supplies, fibre encoders and/or network switches and services for comms links.

While selecting NEMA 4X enclosures is vital for external security applications, using a waterproof and dustproof box is not the end of the story. Maintenance techs need to design remote nodes sympathetically and must keep an eye open for developing issues.

While NEMA 4X enclosures include around the door designed to protect against liquid and solid ingress and must be resistant to corrosion. At the same time, they also need to be monitored for signs of water ingress and seals should be periodically checked.

Techs should remember that poles are aggregation mechanisms for channelling water and a stream of water flowing down a pole will find its way into enclosures through fixing points or top cable access points that are not gasketed. Enclosures may need ventilation but make sure it does not compromise system integrity.

Moisture in an enclosure may cause shorts, will cause corrosion of connections and terminations increasing electrical resistance, and should control boards be present, will certainly lead to board circuit irregularities or failures.

NEMA 4X enclosure features:

* Include a gasket designed to protect against liquid and solid ingress
* Suitable for indoor or outdoor use
* Resistant to corrosion
* Protect against water ingress from rain, sleet and snow
* Protect against solid ingress from airborne dust, debris, dirt and other foreign objects
* Protect against damage from ice forming on the outside of the enclosure.

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