ELECTRICAL ENCLOSURES, JUNCTION BOXES, & PUSH BUTTON BOXES

These electrical enclosures from LiteCycle, Boxco, Saginaw Control & Engineering, & Hi-Tech Controls include terminal enclosures & junction boxes with or without an integrated terminal strip. These electrical enclosures prove useful in a number of different applications and industries while adding protection for wiring junctions. They are available in a variety of sizes, styles, and configurations. The junction boxes without terminal connections are constructed from aluminum or carbon steel with a gray powder finish, or plastic. Besides dust protection, the aluminum junction boxes can also be submerged up to one meter for 30 minutes. The electrical enclosures with an integrated terminal can be either aluminum, polycarbonate plastic, or ABS plastic and are available in gray, black, ivory, or gray with a clear polycarbonate cover. The different colors of plastic enclosures are typically used for different purposes. Gray is ideal for a number of different applications and industries including robotics, machinery, solar applications, and control systems. Ivory is generally used for applications and industries that require a pleasing appearance, including offices and medical devices. The clear cover plastic enclosures are especially useful with applications that require routine inspections, such as in larger industrial equipment and facilities. Aluminum enclosures can be used for many different purposes, including welding, robotics, machinery, automobiles, and gas supply facilities. Many of the aluminum junction box enclosures feature compact designs to save space and are easy to install.

ELECTRICAL ENCLOSURES AND RATINGS: CHOOSING THE PROPER ENCLOSURE

Electrical enclosures are used for a wide range of purposes, with the general function of protecting the electrical components within (buttons, switches, knobs, and other interfaces) against ingress from dust, water sunlight, and corrosives, while at the same time protecting the operators on the outside from the risk of electric shock.

There are two main rating systems that assess and categorize the level of protection that an electrical enclosure can provide. One is the Ingress Protection rating (the IP system) and the other is the National Electrical Manufacturers Association or NEMA Standard system.

The IP system is fairly straightforward. It consists of the code “IP” followed by two numbers, the first of which offers the protection the unit provides against dust and particulate ingress, and the second which offers the level of protection offered against water ingress.

The NEMA standard system is more situationally specific and not intuitive. If you have any questions about the specific suitability or rating of any of our electrical enclosures, please reach out to our customer service team.