NEMA Rating 1

[timm333]

I have to specify electrical equipment (like panelboard, light fixtures, etc) in an airport-hangar. The hangar has walls and roof but the problem is that it has a very large door from which the planes will come in and go out. In addition to this large door, there are two small doors as well.

I have a feeling that equipment inside the hangar should be Nema-4 due to these doors.

So should the electrical equipment (panelboard, light fixtures, etc) in hangar be rated NEMA 1, or NEMA 3R, or NEMA 4? Thanks for help

 

[jraef]

If the planes are being hosed down inside the hangar, NEMA 4 would be appropriate, otherwise it's a bit of overkill. If your concern is wind blown rain getting inside the hangar, then NEMA 3R should be fine. But NEMA 3R is not dust tight. You might want to consider NEMA 12 though, because dust, airborn oil mist and drips of water are much more likely. The difference between NEMA 4 and NEMA 12 is usually just the number of clamps on the doors, and an "outdoor" rated pain system. Inside of a hangar I would not worry about prolonged outdoor exposure.

Light fixtures by the way are not usually NEMA rated, they are usually just "Indoor", "Outdoor", or "Wet Location" listed. So in that case because of the chance of occasional wind blown rain exposure, I would just specify outdoor.

All this is irrespective of any necessary hazardous environmental location issues of course.

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