Outdoor and weatherproof enclosures
An outdoor enclosure has to handle more than rain. NEMA Type 3R covers rain, sleet and snow; Type 4 adds windblown dust and hose-directed water; Type 4X adds a corrosion test, which coastal, de-icing salt and chemical sites call for. Outdoors the sun is often the largest heat load, and no rating covers condensation inside. Our stainless wall-mount enclosures are weatherproof to NEMA 4X / IP66 as rated by the manufacturer (not UL listed): 304 for inland sites, 316L near salt.
- Rating
- NEMA 4X / IP66 by the manufacturer; not UL listed
- Grade
- 304 for inland sites; 316L within 5–10 miles of salt water or where de-icing salt is used
- Finish
- #4 brushed stainless: a metallic finish, which gains less heat in the sun than dark paint
- Mounting
- Four wall-mount feet, outside the sealed box: no fixing holes through the back
- Cable entry
- Through the bottom face where you can (our recommendation), with glands of the same type rating
- Condensation
- Not covered by any rating: plan a heater, desiccant or a rated breather and drain
- Other types
- NEMA 3R, 4 and 6P in other materials and sizes: custom enclosures
- Delivery
- Made to order, delivered in 10 business days
Pick the rating for the weather
3R, 4 or 4X outdoors
| Type | Dust | Water | Corrosion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3R | Falling dirt only | Rain, sleet, snow; may be ventilated | Standard outdoor test |
| 4 | Falling dirt and windblown dust | Rain, sleet, snow, splashing and hose-directed water | Standard outdoor test |
| 4X | Windblown dust | As Type 4 | Additional corrosion protection |
A 3R enclosure suits equipment that needs air but never sees a hose; 4X is sealed and adds corrosion resistance. In US installations NEC 110.28 says an IP code is not a substitute for the enclosure type, so a specification that calls for 4X needs the NEMA type. NEMA 3R vs NEMA 4 · Outdoor enclosures, in full.
Sun and heat
The sun can add more heat than the equipment
One enclosure maker's thermal guide puts peak solar radiation at about 97 W/ft² (about 1,040 W/m²) over much of the United States. In its chart, a black enclosure with no equipment inside runs about 50 °F above ambient in the sun, a metallic finish about 15 °F and a white one about 11 °F; top and side shields cut the rise by 25% to 56%.
Mount on a shaded wall where you can, keep displays out of direct sun, and add the solar gain to the equipment heat before you choose the size: the heat calculation, step by step. Every product page also has a heat check for its size.
| Size (H × W × D) | Effective surface | Shed sealed, 10 K | Shed sealed, 20 K |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 × 10 × 6 in | 0.25 m² | ≈ 9 W | ≈ 18 W |
| 16 × 12 × 8 in | 0.41 m² | ≈ 15 W | ≈ 30 W |
| 20 × 16 × 8 in | 0.59 m² | ≈ 22 W | ≈ 44 W |
| 24 × 20 × 8 in | 0.80 m² | ≈ 30 W | ≈ 59 W |
| 30 × 24 × 10 in | 1.22 m² | ≈ 45 W | ≈ 90 W |
| 36 × 30 × 12 in | 1.80 m² | ≈ 67 W | ≈ 133 W |
Moisture
Sealed is not dry
A sealed box keeps rain out but not the moisture already in its air: it condenses when the enclosure cools on a cold night or after a hot day. Where nights are cold and days humid, fit a small heater, desiccant, or a breather and drain that carry the same type rating as the enclosure; tell us where and we cut the openings. Condensation, and how to size the heater.
The sizes in the heat table, in both grades. Every size is rated the same; find yours in the size finder.
304 stainless wall-mount enclosure
12 × 10 × 6 in
11 DIN135 mm usable9 W
316L stainless wall-mount enclosure
12 × 10 × 6 in
11 DIN135 mm usable9 W
304 stainless wall-mount enclosure
16 × 12 × 8 in
28 DIN185 mm usable15 W
316L stainless wall-mount enclosure
16 × 12 × 8 in
28 DIN185 mm usable15 W
304 stainless wall-mount enclosure
20 × 16 × 8 in
36 DIN185 mm usable22 W
316L stainless wall-mount enclosure
20 × 16 × 8 in
36 DIN185 mm usable22 W
304 stainless wall-mount enclosure
24 × 20 × 8 in
57 DIN185 mm usable30 W
316L stainless wall-mount enclosure
24 × 20 × 8 in
57 DIN185 mm usable30 W
304 stainless wall-mount enclosure
30 × 24 × 10 in
96 DIN236 mm usable45 W
316L stainless wall-mount enclosure
30 × 24 × 10 in
96 DIN236 mm usable45 W
304 stainless wall-mount enclosure
36 × 30 × 12 in
165 DIN286 mm usable67 W
316L stainless wall-mount enclosure
36 × 30 × 12 in
165 DIN286 mm usable67 W
Guide
Outdoor enclosures
Which NEMA type for rain, hose and salt, how much heat the sun adds, colour and sun shields, cold nights, UV and mounting.
Read the guideGuide
NEMA 3R vs NEMA 4
The outdoor types compared: rain test vs hosedown, dust, drain holes, ice and corrosion, and a location-by-location way to choose.
Read the guideGuide
Heat calculation
Heat load, allowed temperature rise, surface-area dissipation, solar gain and cooling sizing, worked through one enclosure with the arithmetic shown.
Read the guideGuide
Condensation
Dew point table, why sealed boxes breathe, heater sizing with a worked example, rated vent drains, desiccant and air conditioner condensate.
Read the guideNot a standard size?
Your size, material and cutouts, delivered in 10 business days.
Set width, height and depth, the material and the NEMA type in the enclosure builder, or send your drawing. From one piece, anywhere in the world. Counted from your order; for custom work, from your approval of the drawing.
Asked and answered
Outdoor enclosures: questions
Is a NEMA 4X enclosure waterproof?
It keeps out rain and hose-directed water from the outside, and the NEMA hose test allows no water inside. It is not built to sit under water: for temporary submersion look at NEMA Type 6 or IPX7, for prolonged submersion Type 6P or IPX8.
Will a stainless enclosure overheat in the sun?
It can on a small box with heat inside. Metallic stainless gains less than dark paint (about 15 °F above ambient with nothing inside, against about 50 °F for black, in one maker's chart), and shade or a shield cuts the rise by a quarter to a half. Add the solar gain to the equipment heat: heat calculation.
How do I stop condensation inside an outdoor enclosure?
Keep the air inside above its dew point with a small heater, absorb the moisture with desiccant, or let it out through a breather and drain that carry the same type rating as the enclosure. No enclosure rating covers condensation.
304 or 316L outdoors?
304 for inland sites with no de-icing salt nearby; 316L within 5–10 miles (8–16 km) of salt water, wherever de-icing salt is spread, and near wastewater or chemical plants. 316L enclosures.
Do you build NEMA 3R enclosures?
Yes, as custom builds: NEMA 3R, 4, 4X, 6P, 12 and 13 in stainless, carbon steel, aluminum or non-metallic materials. Our standard stainless sizes are rated 4X. Custom enclosures.
