Sockets and switches that work in garages, workshops and utility rooms have a tough life. They are subjected to impacts, worked on with dirty hands, they can be splashed with water, dust and debris can fall on them.
How to choose wiring accessories that can withstand all these tests? In the article, we will tell you what design and installation features such products have and what to pay attention to when choosing them.
Main differences of sockets and switches for harsh conditions
Wiring accessories for harsh operating conditions should have the following design features:
- Protective cover for sockets with a quality seal around the perimeter of the housing. It will protect the socket contacts from dust and moisture ingress.
- Grounding contact for sockets. This is needed for connecting the protective conductor, and therefore for protection against electric shock.
- Cable glands for cable entry. Cable entry is the most vulnerable point in terms of moisture ingress. Well-made entries will provide the necessary protection.
- Sufficient space inside the housing. This allows making the necessary connections inside the socket or switch housing and reducing installation time.
- UV resistance. Under UV exposure, plastic ages faster, which affects service life.
- Sufficient impact resistance IK. Sockets in garages and workshops are subjected to mechanical impacts, which can lead to malfunction.
- Resistance to aggressive environments (oils, acids, alkalis, salts). Sockets for harsh conditions get chemical substances on them, under the influence of which the housing plastic can lose its mechanical properties.
Degree of protection against dust and moisture
The most important characteristic to pay attention to is a high degree of protection against dust and moisture. We recommend choosing wiring accessories for harsh conditions with IP54 and higher. This degree means that the socket or switch will be reliably protected from dust and water splashes.
Where can and should such wiring accessories be used? In places where atmospheric conditions are almost no different from outdoor conditions, but there are no direct rain jets. These can be any non-residential premises without heating and insulation: basements, garages, cold storage rooms, hangars, workshops, production areas. Sockets and switches with IP54 protection level can also be used in gazebos, under canopies, on covered terraces.
If wiring accessories will be installed outdoors, where they are exposed to "both snow and heat, and pouring rain," protection not lower than IP55 is needed.
Choosing by example of IEK wiring accessories
IEK produces several series of wiring accessories designed for operation in harsh conditions.
The AQUATIC series with IP54 protection in a practical gray color has increased internal space for convenient installation.
The GERMES PLUS series with IP54 protection comes in white with a white or transparent smoky cover. The feature of the series – a special connector can be used with it, allowing to connect different wiring accessories of the series into a single structure.
The FORS series with IP54 protection has a stylish industrial design and a sturdy housing. Until recently, this line was only available in gray, but now models in white are also on sale. We will tell more about FORS wiring accessories in the following articles.
The TORS IP55 series – the leader in protection among the IEK assortment. Sockets and switches of this series can work calmly in the harshest conditions. The feature of the series – self-clamping contacts, allowing to speed up installation. The housing is made of impact-resistant materials, the assortment is presented in two practical color solutions: white and graphite.