Enclosures perform a pivotal task in buildings and industrial environments. By protecting the controlling and power-distributing components from harmful environmental influences, they are an elementary requirement for fail-safe operation. It is important to select and equip enclosures to suit the relevant ambient conditions. This also entails considering how the enclosure will be sited and secured. For example, it is often advisable to suspend an enclosure from a wall rather than placing it on the floor. In this blog article, we examine the points to consider with wall mounting, and why this is a better alternative for selected applications.
Why attach an enclosure to the wall?
Wall-mounting control cabinets is a well-established form of installation based on various planning, design-related and operational aspects. It offers an alternative to floor mounting and creates additional options when integrating enclosures into industrial environments.
Space-saving installation
Particularly in confined spaces, it is important to ensure that enclosures are mounted in a space-saving way. Mounting the enclosure on a wall creates space on the floor for other equipment, machinery and systems.
Protection against impact and tipping over
An enclosure suspended from the wall is at less risk of being damaged by forklift trucks, lifting trucks or other objects. Furthermore, wall mounting provides additional protection against tipping over for large, floor-sited enclosures.
Protection from liquids
In environments where the floor regularly gets wet or where liquids may be dropped on the ground, wall mounting protects the enclosure from corrosion. In these types of environment, floor mounting exposes the base/plinth, in particular, to these influences, potentially damaging the enclosure and the electronic components inside.
Easier operation and maintenance
With wall mounting, enclosures can be installed at an operator-friendly height to ensure ergonomic access to control components, displays and maintenance points. In this way, the enclosure may be tailored to the requirements of operating and maintenance personnel, allowing work operations to be organised more efficiently.
Which points should be noted with wall mounting?
Whether you opt for suspended wall mounting or additional stabilisation for floor-sited enclosures, there are a number of aspects which must be taken into account with wall mounting. These depend both on the type of enclosure used and the installation location. The suspension location itself plays an important role.
Tip 1: Check load capacity
Before attaching an enclosure to a wall, it is important to verify whether the envisaged location has adequate load bearing capacity. Check the load bearing capacity of the wall versus the weight of the enclosure. Engineering tools such as Eplan can provide information on the enclosure weight.
Tip 2: Choose the correct wall mounting bracket
The wall mounting bracket provides the basis for securely mounting the enclosure. The variant best suited to your application depends on a number of factors.
- Consider the enclosure type: Different enclosures generally require specific mounting solutions. For example, stainless steel enclosures tend to use stainless steel wall mounting brackets, whereas plastic enclosures are secured with plastic supports.
- Take note of the mounting location: In production environments and outdoors, enclosures may be mounted securely not just on walls, but also in some instances on poles, supports and other structures. Pole clamps are a secure option for attaching enclosures to round or square poles.
- Consider special requirements: Other requirements may be relevant, depending on the installation situation. In areas with frequent cleaning cycles and stringent hygiene requirements, such as the food industry, it is important to ensure an adequate distance between the wall and the enclosure for easier cleaning. Special spacer supports for Hygienic Design enclosures are available for this purpose and may be either screw-fastened or welded. Neat work is particularly important in such cases to prevent any hygiene-critical gaps.
Tip 3: Consider load information
For all wall mountings, it is important to observe the load information for the applicable wall mounting bracket. If the enclosure being mounted exceeds the load limit, in a worst-case scenario it could fall off the wall. Information about load limits can be found in the relevant assembly instructions or load brochure for the wall mounting bracket. Rittal wall mountings are also suitable for dynamic applications. It is particularly important to consider the intended application.
Tip 4: Use assembly-friendly enclosures
Wall-mounting is particularly straightforward with Rittal type AX compact enclosures. The stainless steel models feature punch points at the rear for mounting the wall bracket, saving you time and effort. Steel enclosures in the AX series are equipped with mounting holes at the rear as standard, which may be used for screw-fastening the wall brackets. Another practical feature of AX compact enclosures is that the wall mounting brackets allow single-person installation. The wide range of accessories such as wall mounting brackets and angles, gland plates, interior installation rails, system lights etc. may be added to the enclosure using the RiPanel configurator.
Summary
Depending on the specific application, wall mounting enclosures can offer additional flexibility, security and ease of operation. To ensure permanently secure mounting, however, the enclosure type, installation location and mounting solution should be carefully coordinated. Provided you consider the relevant requirements and use suitable mounting systems, you will create a stable basis for reliable operation.
FAQs
1. How can I make wall mounting easier with AX stainless steel enclosures?
AX stainless steel enclosures have punch points on the rear, which precisely mark future drilling or screw fastening points. This eliminates time-consuming measurements. Installations can be carried out faster, more precisely and with fewer errors.
2. How do I install AX steel enclosures?
Steel enclosures in the AX series are equipped with mounting holes at the rear as standard, which may be used for directly screw-fastening the wall brackets. This enables stable attachment without any additional preparatory stages, such as marking out and drilling.
3. Can an AX compact enclosure be installed by just one person?
Yes. The AX series features special wall mounting brackets expressly designed to allow one person to safely position and secure the enclosure. This saves time and ensures easier installation, particularly when there is no second installer available to assist.
4. What accessories are available for the AX compact enclosure system?
There is an extensive range of accessories available for AX models, including wall mountings, wall brackets, gland plates, interior installation rails and system lights. These accessories extend the functionality of the enclosure and support safe, standard-compliant installation.
5. How do I configure accessories for AX compact enclosures?
Select your required accessories directly using the RiPanel configurator from Rittal and add them to the matching AX enclosure. The configurator will guide you step by step through the selection process and ensure that all components are compatible.