When choosing an enclosure for your electrical device, having lots of options is great — but it’s equally important to know the key standards and ratings that will help you choose the right model. You need information about what kinds of hazards the electrical enclosure can resist and where it can be used. Fortunately, NEMA enclosure ratings offer an easy way to find that information.
At Polycase, we are happy to leverage our expert knowledge of NEMA ratings and enclosure designs so that our customers can be confident that they know exactly what they’re looking for. Today, we’ll compare two of the most common and cost-effective types of enclosures: NEMA 1 enclosures and NEMA 3 enclosures. Each offers its own benefits at a competitive cost, and each can be a great option for the right application.
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has created the NEMA ratings system to help enclosure buyers find the model that offers the features and protection that they need. Their system rates an enclosure on the degree of protection that it provides to internal components against a variety of external hazards — from moisture to dust to corrosion.
For more general information on NEMA enclosure ratings, check out the quick summaries of each NEMA type in our NEMA enclosure ratings guide. While you’re at it, see our IP ratings guide to get familiar with the other major enclosure ratings system that’s used to evaluate protective enclosures.
NEMA 1 enclosures offer a good level of basic indoor protection for electrical and electronic devices.
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Polycase offers a full selection of NEMA 1 enclosures, all of which also feature ratings above NEMA 1 for improved performance and protection. Consider these models if you’re looking for a NEMA 1-rated indoor electronics enclosure:
Polycase WH-14
NEMA 3 enclosures are designed for outdoor use. They can be a cost-effective option for protecting electrical and electronic devices in an outdoor environment.
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Each NEMA 3 sub-rating refers to specific protective features. These ratings are:
Polycase customers will also find numerous NEMA 3 and NEMA 3R enclosure options in our selection. Some of our most popular NEMA 3 offerings (all of which are also rated to higher NEMA standards) are:
Polycase ZH-0604
Need more information about enclosure ratings, models, sizes and more? Give our NEMA enclosure experts a call at 1-800-248-1233 or contact us online for a free electronics enclosure quote on the products you need.