Frequently Asked Questions
Products
- What is the difference between “F” and “P” in part numbers?
- How do I know what stock is available to ship?
- What’s the difference between the Recessed/Smooth and Flush/Textured covers?
- Where do I find the full part numbers?
- Why can’t I find the part I used to order?
- The part number is different than I’ve ordered before. Why?
- Why are you upgrading the BF Series to the BX Series?
- What do your part numbers mean?
- How do I find the right product for me?
- Do you sell screws to mount the PCB?
- Do your enclosures come with the assembly screws?
- Why do the ML, DC, WC, WP, WA, and HD series enclosures have brass inserts in the screw towers?
- Does Polycase offer battery contacts in the VM-Series enclosures for parallel wiring?
- Do you offer rubber bumpers for your enclosures?
- Do you sell DIN Rail Mountable enclosures?
- What is the PMS color of Polycase gray & bone enclosures?
- What is the temperature range of your products?
- I'm having difficulty placing the cover onto the base. Are my boxes defective?
- What is the convex shaped arc visible on the base of my enclosure?
- What is the recommended torque on your screws?
Customer Service
- How do I contact Polycase?
- What forms of payment do you accept?
- What is your remit to address?
- Are your parts RoHS Compliant?
- How do I download drawings?
- What does the drawing on the product page do?
- Do I have to pay sales tax?
- Where do I find your blog?
- How do I comment on your blog?
- What are your hours of business?
- You have listed only Length, Width, and Height of the enclosures. How do I find other dimensions?
- Are your enclosures plenum rated?
- Are your enclosures NEMA rated?
- Are your enclosures IP rated?
Policies
- What is your return policy?
- What is your sample policy?
- What is your shipping policy?
- What is your order policy?
Ordering
- How do I order customized product?
- Do I need a credit card to order?
- Do you ship internationally?
- What are the 4 steps in the check-out process?
- I cannot access my online account, what do I do?
- Can I order the covers separately from the bases?
Custom
- I need a size product I don’t see on your website. Can I get a custom product molded?
- I’d like the mounting bosses in a specific location. Is this possible?
- Can I get a price estimate on machining cutouts? My design is not finalized so I have yet to determine the exact locations of the cutouts. I just need a rough idea of the machining costs.
- How do I get a quote?
- How long does a customized product take?
- I’d like to send in a sample product for you to quote. What do I need to include?
- I am a CM and would like to order my customer’s customized product. What information do you need?
- Do you have standard machining options that I can choose from?
- Do you offer printing?
- What size holes can you machine?
- What shape holes do you offer?
- Can you machine down the height of the enclosure?
- Can you machine down the height of the mounting bosses?
- Can Polycase enclosures be chrome plated?
Products
Q - What is the difference between “F” and “P” in part numbers?
Our part number description can be found HERE. Enclosures with “F” in the description have molded on flanges for surface mounting. Enclosures with “P” in the part number do not have flanges. The BF Series are only available with mounting flanges. The TX Series part numbers with a prefix of “TF” have flanges; a “P” prefix indicates there are no mounting flanges. Our NEMA enclosure series, WA, WC and WP, have a mounting flange kit that may be purchased as an accessory.
Q -How do I know what stock is available to ship?
We typically carry stock for the vast majority of our products. However, contact your CSR or Live Chat and we can confirm that product is in stock.
Q - What’s the difference between the Recessed/Smooth and Flush/Textured covers?
The Recessed/Smooth cover has a slightly recessed area that is smooth. This area is to accommodate a label or membrane keypad. The smooth surface helps the adhesive stick to the enclosure. The Flush/Textured cover has the same texturing found on the rest of the enclosure. This texturing helps prevent scratches and fingerprints from marring the look of the enclosure.
Q - Where do I find the full part numbers?
Once the product is placed in your cart, the full part number will be displayed, showing each of the options you have selected.
Q - Why can’t I find the part I used to order?
Some products have been upgraded. If you have ordered a BF enclosure, many sizes have been upgraded to the BX series. If you are looking for a different part number, please contact customer service.
Q - The part number is different than I’ve ordered before. Why?
Our previous website had a different naming convention. In order to streamline the order process for you, this new site matches the product number exactly. Please read the complete product description that is listed on your order to verify that the product is the same. If you have questions about what the part number means, click here for our product number glossary or review the items in your shopping cart.
Q -Why are you upgrading the BF Series to the BX Series?
The new BX Series molds are more efficient and produce a cleaner looking product. The external dimensions and material are unchanged, helping this replacement part to fit easily into your already established footprint. Features include:
- Improved style with added corner radius and a textured surface
- New cover with a cool, new look and fit, and improved design for bonding (optional)
- Four internal mounting bosses (optional)
- UL Flame Retardant rating: 94-V0
- Part #'s that have been upgraded are:
BF-020305 to BX-2305
BF-020308 to BX-2308
BF-020310 to BX-2310
BF-020315 to BX-2315
BF-030308 to BX 3308
BF-030315 to BX-3315
Q - What do your part numbers mean?
Our part number glossary can be found here.
Q - How do I find the right product for me?
Polycase offers several options to search.
If you know the size of the PCB, you can use this chart to determine the products that would best fit your board.
If you know the application, you can search using the bars on the home page or using the tabs at the top of the page. Hover over the bar to see series specific information or hover on the tab to see a list of series in that application.
If you know the series you have purchased previously, you can use the drop down menu to Search by Series. For example, if you are interested in the AG-85, simply use the Search by Series drop down menu in alphabetical order, locate the AG Series and click.
If you are still unable to find the product, contact customer service or use our Live Chat option.
Q - Do you sell screws to mount my PCB?
Most of our enclosures include molded in PCB mounting bosses. Polycase sells PCB mounting boss screws for $3.50 per bag of 100. The KT Series and each of the FB series secure the board between standoffs when the enclosure is closed; no screws are needed. The potting box series can be filled with potting compound to secure the board. On select potting box sizes, there are also mounting bosses.
The WH Series require screw sizes that Polycase does not sell.
All other sizes:
Outdoor versions: Bosses with inserts for M4 x 0.7 x 8mm long machine screw
Q - Do your enclosures come with the assembly screws?
All enclosure screws are included with screw-on covers. If you need additional enclosure screws, contact customer service. If you are looking for the ¼” mounting boss screws to secure your board, click here.
Q - Why do the ML, DC, WC, WP, WA, and HD series enclosures have brass inserts in the screw towers?
The brass inserts allow for removal of the covers for applications where multiple cover on/cover off usage is required.
Q - Does Polycase offer battery contacts in the VM-Series enclosures for parallel wiring?
Polycase does not supply contacts to wire the VM-Series enclosure batteries In-Parallel. Our contacts are for In-Series. Listed below are part numbers of battery contacts that you can look at to wire the batteries in parallel. You can purchase the contacts from a distributor such as Allied Electronics - www.alliedelec.com
Battery contact manufacturer: Keystone Electronics
part numbers:
5228 dual spring contact
5227 dual button contact
5221 single button contact
5222 single spring contact
Q - Do you offer rubber bumpers for your enclosures?
Rubber bumpers for the enclosures are commonly available, however Polycase does not offer them. Listed below are a couple of sources as web links. When selecting a bumper, choose one where the diameter is slightly smaller than the recessed indentation that you are putting them in. If you have a 0.50" diameter indentation, you could go with a 0.50" diameter bumper, but you will have to line up the bumper perfectly with the indentation when adhering it. It is recommended to go with a size that is a little smaller than 0.500" to speed up the assembly process.
http://www.midatlanticrubber.com/prod_10.htm
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/category/545/Rubber-Feet-/-Bumpers/1.html
Q - Do you sell DIN Rail Mountable enclosures?
The EK-50 is the only DIN Rail enclosure that Polycase offers. However there is a simple solution to make any enclosure a DIN Rail mountable if the EK-Series does not meet your requirements. Phoenix Contact makes a good, cost effective Din Rail Clip that can be screwed on to any enclosure thus making the enclosure DIN-Rail mountable. Polycase can also machine the holes in the enclosure specifically where you need the clips mounted to the enclosure. The clip is available from distributors such as Digikey & Winford Engineering.
Q - What is the PMS color of Polycase gray & bone enclosures?
Regarding the (PMS, RAL, RGB) color of our bone & gray enclosures. The color originated as a standard General Electric (GE) / Sabic color of material that Polycase purchased from GE/Sabic. GE/Sabic obsoleted this material many years ago & our current material manufacturer simply matched samples of the old GE/Sabic material. We have contacted GE/Sabic several times asking specifically what the color is. The response we received from GE/Sabic is that the color was not initially made to match any standard color. It is a proprietary GE/Sabic color. It may coincidentally match a PMS, RAL or RGB color however.
Q - What is the temperature range on your products?
All Polycase enclosures are molded in either ABS plastic or Polycarbonate plastic. The temperature performance range on ABS plastic is -17°C to 80°C (0°F to 176°F). The temperature performance range Polycarbonate plastic is -40°C to 120°C (-40°F to 248°F).
Q - I'm having difficulty placing the cover onto the base. Are my boxes defective?
There is some bowing that can occur on the walls of the enclosures. This happens as the box cools, after being removed from the molding tool. This is inherent to the design and not considered a defect.
There is a technique that can help you assemble the covers onto the bases. When putting the cover on, put one corner on first and push the cover towards that corner, then press down. This will allow the cover to be easily pressed into place before screwing down.
Q- What is the convex shaped arc visible on the base of my enclosure?
If you are seeing a convex shaped arc that appears about 1/2" from the bottom of the base, we refer to this as "sunshine." The sunshine does not deform or alter the shape of the box. It is simply an aesthetic characteristic resulting for the design of the box and how the material flows in the mold. While it can vary slightly from run to run, "sunshine" is typical on each part.
Q- What is the recommended torque on your screws?
The recommended torque on our enclosure screws can be found here.
Customer Service
Q - How do I contact Polycase?
Q -What forms of payment do you accept?
Polycase accepts Visa Card, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards for online orders. Net 30 and wire transfers are not currently available through the website.
Q - What is your remit to address?
Polycase
1305 Chester Industrial Parkway
Avon, Ohio 44011 USA
Q - Are your parts RoHS Compliant?
Yes, our parts have been RoHS Compliant since February 2006. RoHS certification can be found here.
Q - How do I download drawings?
Downloading drawings from Polycase.com is easy. Simply choose the product size and drawing format that best fits your needs. On the product page, select the tab of the particular format, which will display the download option. Additionally you can click on the format icon on the series page in the chart.
Q - What does the 3D drawing on the product page do?
The 3D “solid model” allows you to see the enclosure drawing from all angles and sides. Using the keystrokes or mouse, you can manipulate the drawing to rotate on x, y AND z axis. Similar to having a physical product in your hand, you can view the enclosure, not just an outline. Select parts or all of the image, then right click with your mouse for additional options such as hiding or isolating components.
Q - Do I have to pay sales tax?
At Polycase we don’t include taxes on our products because not all customers have to pay sales tax on these items. Only customers that are purchasing within the state of Ohio are required to pay this tax. Any customer that has met the State’s qualifications to be considered Tax Exempt must send us their Tax Exempt Form prior to shipment or the order will be charged sales tax.
Q - Where do I find your blog?
Q - How do I comment on your blog?
Choose the specific blog posting you would like to comment on. At the end there is a form asking for your name, email address (to inform you when we have responded), and a box for your comment. We will review all comments for appropriate language before posting the comment.
Q - What are your hours of business?
8am to 5pm Eastern time, Monday through Friday, except for some national holidays.
Q - You have listed only Length, Width, and Height of the enclosures. How do I find other dimensions?
Polcyase offers drawings in 3 formats, which allow you to collect any data not listed on our website. Dwg and pdf are 2D drawings which allows you to display the information, while iges are 3D and inherently more interactive.
Q - Are your enclosures plenum rated?
Our enclosures are not plenum rated.
Q - Are your enclosures NEMA rated?
The ML, WH, WP, WC, and WA series of enclosures have all been tested and rated NEMA NEMA 1, 2, 4, 4x, 12 and 13 specifications. Additionally the HD series enclosures were designed to meet NEMA 4X requirements but have not been formerly tested. Because end use determines the actual rating of the enclosure, each customer will have to have their own product tested and Polycase feels “rating” the enclosures specifically is misleading.
Q - Are your enclosures IP rated?
All of Polycase enclosures can be rated IP40, assuming the covers are properly secured. The WP, WC, and WA Series of enclosures have been designed to meet requirements for rating of IP65 of IEC 529. The HD, WH, and ML Series have been designed to meet requirements for rating of IP66 of IEC 529.
Policies
Q - What is your return policy?
Contact your CSR to receive an authorized RMA number to return the product. You will be asked for a description of why you are returning the product, PO or invoice number, and total number of parts to be returned. Below are the guidelines for returning product.
Stock parts:
All parts must be returned within 30 days. Polycase will offer credit for parts passing inspection only. No credit can be given for freight. A flat fee of $25 or a re-stocking fee of 20%, whichever is greater, will be charged.
Modified parts:
No returns accepted. Any customized product is non-refundable, non-cancelable.
*PI-20 Pi Series cases are non-returnable*
Q - What is your Warranty policy?
All shipments should be inspected upon receipt. If parts are defective or modified incorrectly, Polycase must be notified within 6 months of shipment. As storage conditions may effect the quality of the product, no parts will be refunded after 6 months.
Q - What is your sample policy?
Polycase samples are intended for our business customers. The parts will ship UPS Ground to customers within the USA and Canada. For international shipments, the customer must pay for freight and any customs or brokers fees associated with that shipment. Please note our standard sample policy is not applicable to WA, WC, WH or WP Series NEMA enclosures, Pi Series, or screws. If additional pieces are needed, we offer no minimum purchasing to accommodate these requests. Contact Customer Service to request a sample.
Q - What is your shipping policy?
Unless specified otherwise, all orders will ship via UPS Prepay and Add. Actual freight is calculated based on product weight and will be added at checkout. During checkout, an expedited method of shipping may be selected. If you would prefer to ship an order on your own UPS or FedEx account number, it must be provided during checkout. All parts in-stock will ship within 1 business day. In the event a part is not in stock, Polycase will contact you regarding a ship date. Please note that UPS does not deliver to a P.O. Box.
Minimum Quantity:
At Polycase we have no minimum order quantity. You can order one to thousands. Quantity discounts are available and are shown on-line.
Order Online:
Visit individual product pages to see pricing and add items to your cart. When finished adding enclosures, follow our simple checkout process and submit your secure online order.
If you would like to add any of the Suggested Accessories to your cart, click on the part name in the chart to be taken to the order page. Once you are done reviewing the “Suggested product” enter your quantity and click “add to cart”. You can then begin the checkout process.
Payment Options:
All online orders are credit card only. We accept the following credit cards; Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express. When you place your order and proceed into the shopping cart you will be able to select any of the above methods of payment.
Credit Card Order Needs:
To place a credit card order you will need to enter your name, as it appears on the card, and the billing address where the credit card bill is sent to you. There is a “ship to address” available, if different from billing info. If billing and shipping are the same, you can select the “Check if Billing and Shipping are the same” to automatically populate the shipping address.
Order Processing:
We make every effort to get your shipment on its way within 24 business hours of receipt. When you place an order with us the first step we take is to “authorize” your credit card. This is a check to see that the information provided for the order matches the cardholder and is a protection for you. In most cases the bank will place a temporary hold on the funds. We never collect funds from your bank until we have confirmation that your order has been shipped to you.
In cases where the item is on back order or has been discontinued and we did not collect the funds, the “authorization” will expire, usually in 30 days, but dependent upon the policy of the individual bank that issued the credit card.
Ordering
Q - How do I order customized product?
Currently, customized parts must be ordered in writing, from your Customer Service Representative. You can email the order to your CSR or contact Polycase directly. Prepayment is required for most customized product. Customized parts are non-cancelable, non-returnable.
Q - Do I need a credit card to order?
A credit card is required for all online purchases. Phone or email orders can be paid for with credit card, check or wire transfer in advance of shipment, or Net 30 with approved credit. To apply for Net 30 terms, contact your CSR.
Q - Do you ship internationally?
Polycase will ship anywhere you are. We ship direct everyday worldwide. With the exception of PO Boxes, Polycase has no restrictions on where the parts can ship. Please note, shipping rates do not include applicable taxes, or customs or broker fees. These are the sole responsibility of the customer. We will ship UPS Worldwide Expedited unless you specify a different method. If you would prefer to ship an order on your own UPS or FedEx account number, it must be provided during checkout. Estimated ship times are based on available flight options and may vary based on weather conditions and remote locations.
Q - What are the 4 steps in the check-out process?
- Step 1: provide billing (and shipping) information.
- Step 2: provide your credit card information.
- Step 3: confirm your order is correct and finalize the order.
- Step 4: print your receipt.
Q - I cannot access my online account, what do I do?
Contact customer service to have the web administrator reset your password.
Q - Can I order the covers separately from the bases?
The potting boxes (BF, BX, and TX series) and the respective covers can be purchased without covers. These covers can be found under the "Accessories" category on the home page.
At this time you cannot order any of our other covers separately on the website. Please contact your CSR if you needed extra covers for any of these series: BT, DC, ID, LP, SL, or TX Select. Covers for series not specified here are not available for separate purchase. ( Back To Top )
Custom
Q - I need a size product I don’t see on your website. Can I get a custom product molded?
To create a new product (even something similar to our current product) would require creating a custom mold, which is expensive and time consuming. We do not offer this type of service. However, almost all our products can be customized to meet your needs. We’d be happy to customize any enclosure on our website, in terms of machining cutouts, printing graphics, and, in some instances, even cutting down the height of the enclosure. To get a customization quote, visit our Quick Quote tool at www.polycase.com/quote.
Q - I’d like the mounting bosses in a specific location. Is this possible?
The mounting bosses are built directly into the mold. While we cannot change the mold, we can supply the cases without bosses or machine the bosses out. Then we would machine countersunk holes in the locations that the bosses are needed. You would then fasten stand-offs to the enclosure with countersunk screws in the machines holes. Then your PCB can be screwed to the top side of the stand-offs inside the enclosures.
Q - Can I get a price estimate on machining cutouts? My design is not finalized so I have yet to determine the exact locations of the cutouts. I just need a rough idea of the machining costs.
Because there are so many variables in the pricing for our customization services, we do not have a set cost for machining. We want to make sure each of our customers is paying for only the exact machining they need, and not an inflated price that covers all modifications. The type of information we need is how many cutouts and which surfaces the cutouts are to be machined on the enclosure. To get a customization quote, visit our Quick Quote tool at www.polycase.com/quote.( Back To Top )
Try our online quoting tool, Quick Quote, for a instant self-generated quote. Get started here: Quick Quote Or if you would like our eingeering team to provide you with the quote, you can email your drawing(s) or written description of modifications to sales@polycase.com, quotes are typically returned within 2 bussiness days via this method.
Q - How long does a customized product take?
The current lead-time on customized products is 3 weeks from the date we receive the order, drawings and prepayment or credit card.
Q - I’d like to send in a sample product for you to quote. What do I need to include?
Simply ship your board to our Engineering Dept. in Avon, Ohio (Polycase, 1305 Chester Industrial Pkwy, Avon, OH 44011-1083) along with a note explaining how to contact you and what enclosure you will use.
Q - I am a CM and would like to order my customer’s customized product. What information do you need?
Polycase values and protects our customers’ privacy. Part of this is protecting our customers’ custom products. In order to purchase a custom product on behalf of your own customer, have your customer provide you with either their internal part number or the Polycase job number. The approved drawings may also be required. Your customer can contact us directly to let us know who will be purchasing the product going forward, and to confirm we have their permission to sell this product.
Q - Do you have standard machining options that I can choose from?
Because each application is unique we do not have a standard machining option. We can machine any size or shape holes that you needed, on any surface of the enclosure. Polycase design engineers are happy to help you with the design if you need assistance. Based on the board and connectors you use, together we will be able to determine the best locations and sizes of holes that would work for your product.
Polycase offers printing directly onto the enclosure. We can print on any surface of the enclosure, in virtually any font, size, or icon you desire. Printing on the recessed, smooth area provided as an option on most of our enclosures results in a cleaner, clearer print. Large blocks of color are typically better left to labels. These options can be discussed with engineering when you send in your design to be quoted.
Q - What color ink is available for printing?
Polycase has a variety of standard ink colors that can be applied to any of our enclosures. Some colors may appear more clearly on certain colored enclosures. Additionally, if you have a specific PMS, RGB, or RAL color you would like to use for printing, Polycase can do a custom color match. There may be additional charges and lead-times on the custom ink colors. These options can be discussed in depth with our design engineers when you are ready to get your quote.
Q - What size holes can you machine?
Because we use CNC Machines to modify the enclosures, we can machine any size or shape hole into the enclosure. Our professional CNC machining process is precise and accurate with tolerances of +/- .005 inches. We are not limited by the diameter of a drill press the way some modification shops are.
Q - What shape holes do you offer?
Because we use CNC Machines to modify the enclosures, we can machine any size or shape hole into the enclosure. We are not limited to circles or round holes the way some modification shops are, when using a drill press to modify the enclosure.
Q - Can you machine down the height of the enclosure?
Depending on your application we can machine down the height of the box only. Because the covers are created to fit tightly to the enclosure, once the sides are machined the covers will no longer fit. This will work for potting boxes or applications that do not require a cover.
Q - Can you machine down the height of the mounting bosses?
Polycase absolutely can machine down the height of the mounting bosses. Because they are only ¼” tall, often we find there is no need to machine them. Additionally many of our enclosures are available with or without the bosses.
Q - Can Polycase enclosures be chrome plated?
Polycase uses flame-retardant plastic material for all of our electronic enclosures. Due to the flame-retardant additive in the material, the plating can be spotty and inconsistent. Along with being a relatively expensive addition, the inconsistency renders the plating potentially useless. Therefore, chrome-plating is possible, but not recommended. Read more about this on our blog.