NEMA 250 Testing Lab

NEMA [The National Electrical Manufacturers Association] is an organization that forms the standards to provide the safety, environment, and marketing enhancement of the industry.

NEMA 250 addresses the ingress protection of enclosures for electrical equipment rated at 1000 Volts or less. This equipment is intended to be installed and used in specific non-hazardous and hazardous locations. It defines different enclosure types offering various degrees of protection like ability to prevent human access, prevent the ingress of solids, prevent the ingress of liquids, construction requirements, door and cover securement, corrosion resistance, effects of ice, gasket ageing and oil resistance, and cooling effectiveness.

NEMA 250 Enclosure Ingress Protection Testing | NEMA 250 Testing Lab

The enclosures are grouped by hazardous and non-hazardous locations as well as indoor, outdoor and mining. The level of protection includes protection against solids and water ingress. Below is a summary of each category and its specific enclosures:

Non-Hazardous (unclassified) locations NEMA 250 Enclosures: Indoor locations, Types 1, 2, 5, 12, 12K and 13. Indoor or outdoor locations, Types 3, 3X, 3R, 3RX, 3S, 3SX, 4, 4X, 6 and 6P. Hazardous (classified) locations NEMA 250 Enclosures: Enclosures for indoor locations, Types 7 and 9. Enclosures for indoor or outdoor locations, Type 8. Enclosures for mining applications, Type 10.

This international standard assists in determining the ingress protection rating or ip rating. Testing NEMA enclosures includes testing for the entry of solid foreign objects. This includes items such as dust ingress, which are the smallest solid particles. The testing determines if solid particles create a harmful effect when they enter in sufficient quantity.

The liquid testing includes exposure to vertically dripping water and continuous immersion in water. The IP Code is based on the protection of both solids and liquids.

KC India is a certified NEMA 250 testing lab. What sets KC India NEMA testing apart is our experience in helping manufacturers determine ingress points. We partner with our customers to assist with identifying potential solutions. We also have significant expertise in interpreting the NEMA 250 standard.

If the unit that requires testing is too large to move, no problem. We have experience completing ingress protection testing at the customer’s facilities.

Why is KC India the right NEMA 250 ingress protection lab to complete your ingress testing? Our customers enjoy our short lead times and ability to explain the process. Our team also offers consultative engineering support when failures occur and affordable pricing.

In Non-Hazardous Locations, the specific enclosure Types, their applications, and the environmental conditions they are designed to protect against when completely and properly installed are as follows:

1. NEMA Type 1

Enclosures are constructed for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts and to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt).

2. NEMA Type 2

Enclosures constructed for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt), and to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (dripping and light splashing).

3. NEMA Type 3

Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt and windblown dust); to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow); and that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.

4. NEMA Type 3R

Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt); to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow); and that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.

5. NEMA Type 3S

Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt and windblown dust); to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow); and for which the external mechanism(s) remain operable when ice-laden.

4. NEMA Type 3X

Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt and windblown dust); to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow); that provides an additional level of protection against corrosion and that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.

5. NEMA Type 3RX

Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt); to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow); that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure that provides an additional level of protection against corrosion; and that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.

6. NEMA Type 3SX

Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt and windblown dust); to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow); that provides an additional level of protection against corrosion; and for which the external mechanism(s) remain operable when ice-laden.

7. NEMA Type 4

Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt and windblown dust); to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow, splashing water, and hose directed water); and that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.

8. NEMA Type 4X

Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (windblown dust); to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (rain, sleet, snow, splashing water, and hose directed water); that provides an additional level of protection against corrosion; and that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.

9. NEMA Type 5

Enclosures constructed for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt and settling airborne dust, lint, fibers, and flyings); and to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (dripping and light splashing).

10. NEMA Type 6

Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt); to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (hose directed water and the entry of water during occasional temporary submersion at a limited depth), and that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.

11. NEMA Type 6P

Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt); to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (hose directed water and the entry of water during prolonged submersion at a limited depth); that provides an additional level of protection against corrosion and that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure.

12. NEMA Type 12

Enclosures constructed (without knockouts) for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt and circulating dust, lint, fibers, and flyings); and to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (dripping and light splashing).

13. NEMA Type 12K

Enclosures constructed (with knockouts) for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt and circulating dust, lint, fibers, and flyings); and to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (dripping and light splashing)

14. NEMA Type 13

Enclosures constructed for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt and circulating dust, lint, fibers, and flyings); to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (dripping and light splashing); and to provide a degree of protection against the spraying, splashing, and seepage of oil and non-corrosive coolants.

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