Why Mid-Size Is Often the Right Size for NEMA Enclosures

If you are considering buying a wall-mount or pole-mount NEMA enclosure, you know they come in a huge variety of sizes. There are NEMA enclosures as small as 6 by 6 inches that can fit anywhere. There are ones as large as 3 feet square and 10 inches deep that can hold just about anything. But for most indoor or indoor/outdoor uses, a mid-size box is the best way to go − the right combination of capacity and compactness.

That combination can be ideal whether you need to protect remote wireless LAN Wi-Fi equipment, industrial control panels, telecommunications gear, outdoor lighting controls, security systems, HVAC controls, renewable energy systems, and more.

Below we discuss the benefits of mid-size enclosures, and we explore two of their most important features. First, we cover some of the most common NEMA and ingress protection (IP) ratings of these cabinets. Second, we highlight interior mounting plates, describing the benefits of five popular types.

Benefits of Mid-Size NEMA Enclosures

Some common medium-size cabinets are 12 x 12 inches, 16 x 14, 14 x 10, 14 x 12 and 18 x 16. Depth is typically from 4 to 8 inches. For both indoor and outdoor applications, these sizes offer the following benefits:

• Versatility: They are versatile enough to accommodate a wide range of components without being overly bulky.
• Wall-friendliness: These dimensions are suitable for wall-mounting, making them ideal for installations where floor space is limited.
• Component density: These sizes allow for a moderate density of components, suitable for many small to medium-sized control systems or junction boxes.
• Cable management: The 4-inch or 6-inch depths provide flexibility for different cable management needs.
• Transportation: The compact size makes these enclosures light and easier to transport and install compared to larger units.

NEMA and IP Rating Combinations

You can tell a lot about a NEMA enclosure from its NEMA rating and its ingress protection (IP) rating. These two indicators reveal the level of protection an enclosure provides against environmental factors. There are many NEMA ratings (NEMA 3, 3R, 4, 4X, 6P, 12, etc.) and IP ratings (IP24, IP54, IP66, IP67, IP68, etc.). Instead of covering them all here, following are some common NEMA/IP combinations you will find with mid-size indoor and indoor/outdoor enclosures.

• NEMA 4, IP66, Indoor/Outdoor: NEMA 4 protects against windblown dust, rain, splashing water, and hose-directed water. Suitable for outdoor use. IP66 is dust-tight and protected against powerful water jets. This combination offers high protection for both indoor and outdoor use, suitable for harsh environments.
• NEMA 3R, IP24, Indoor/Outdoor: NEMA 3R provides protection against falling rain, sleet, and external ice formation and is thus suitable for outdoor use. IP24 means the interior is protected against objects larger than 12.5 mm and against water splashing from any direction. This combination offers moderate protection, suitable for less demanding outdoor applications.
• NEMA 3, IP55, Indoor/Outdoor: NEMA 3 protects against windblown dust, rain, and sleet, suiting it for outdoor use. IP55 is protection against dust ingress (limited ingress permitted) and against water jets from any direction. This combo provides good protection for most outdoor applications.
• NEMA 12, IP54, Indoor: NEMA 12 indicates protection against dust, dirt, and dripping non-corrosive liquids, so it is intended for indoor use. IP54 guards against dust (limited ingress permitted) and against water splashing from any direction. This combination is designed for indoor industrial environments where protection against dust and occasional water contact is needed.

Interior Mounting Plates

A mounting plate in a NEMA enclosure provides a secure and organized surface for installing electrical components, controls, and equipment within the enclosure. They also allow you to pre-mount devices on the plate before installing it in the enclosure, can help with heat dissipation, and keep components away from the enclosure walls, for additional protection.

Following are some popular types of mounting plates:

• Aluminum mounting plates are strong but lightweight, so that the NEMA enclosures they are in are lighter and thus easier to handle for mounting to a flat surface or post. Also, most aluminum plates can be drilled into to make holes for attaching components. NavePoint takes it a step further with aluminum mounting plates that are anodized, with an electrochemically applied oxide layer. This process makes them harder and more wear-resistant, more corrosion resistant, and less electrically conductive.
• Hook-and-loop mounting plates are covered with Velcro-type material. By attaching hook-and-loop tape to your components, you can firmly install them to such a mounting plate but quickly adjust their positioning or remove them as the need arises.
• Polypropylene mounting plates are nonmetallic and thus RF-transparent, allowing 360 degrees of coverage for any antennas mounted to them. These plates can be drilled into to create holes for mounting equipment in any arrangement.
• ABS plastic mounting plates are like polypropylene plates in that they are nonmetallic and RF-transparent with 360 degrees of coverage for antennas. But the ABS plates also offer a matrix of holes that eliminate the need for drilling to attach components.
• NEMA enclosures with no mounting plates are the choice for installers who either already have a plate or want a particular type of plate not offered with that enclosure. For these purposes, NavePoint offers blank aluminum mounting plates, polypropylene mounting plates, and ABS plastic mounting plates.

NavePoint’s 14 x 10 ABS Plastic NEMA Enclosures

Are you ready to protect your indoor or outdoor installation with mid-size NEMA enclosures? NavePoint’s NEMA enclosures are in stock and available with FREE standard same-day shipping! We also carry NEMA accessories, which include pole-mount kits as well as mounting plates.