Electrical enclosure gaskets are industrial rubber products that provide environmental sealing, insulation and protection. They’re installed inside cabinet-like enclosures that house electrical machinery or equipment such as generator sets (gensets). In addition to weatherproofing, electrical enclosure gaskets like rubber genset seals can impart specialized properties like flame or chemical resistance and even EMI shielding. They can also help engineers meet IP standards, NEMA rating, or UL 94 requirements.
Enclosure Sealing and Noise Control
Gensets supply off-grid electricity. They consist of a diesel or gasoline-powered engine and an electrical generator that converts mechanical power into electricity. To support repairs and maintenance, this equipment is housed within a metal or plastic enclosure with a door or removable cover. Rubber door seals can provide reliable environmental sealing, but you may also need to control noise from the genset.
Electrical enclosure gaskets provide some acoustic insulation, but an engine in an enclosed space can be very loud. Along with genset door seals then, your application may require sound absorbers, noise barriers or even vibration dampers made from rubber and other materials. These noise control products can help you meet workplace limits on noise exposure and avoid “noise pollution” in neighborhoods.
Environmental sealing may seem simpler, but there’s still plenty to think about. Static seals are fine when there’s no relative motion between mating surfaces, but dynamic seals are recommended when there’s motion between sealing interfaces such as a door and door frame. Rubber seals also need to resist compression set – the permanent deformation of a material – when the enclosure door is closed.
NEMA Enclosure Gaskets and IP Equivalents + UL 94 Enclosure Gaskets
NEMA standards and IP ratings for electrical enclosures are similar, but they’re definitely not the same. Ingress protection (IP) ratings describe the level of protection against the entry or ingress of water and solid objects such as dirt and dust particles. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) publishes standards that provide supplementary protection, such as against corrosion and chemicals. (See the table at the end of this article for more information.)
Some enclosure designs may need rubber seals that are fireproof instead. The UL 94 standard from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) defines 12 different flame ratings, so it’s important to determine which one applies to your electrical enclosure gasket. It’s also important to consider whether the generator seal or the entire enclosure needs to meet this demanding flammability standard.
EMI Shielding Gaskets for Electrical Enclosures
Electrical enclosure gaskets may need protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI), an electrical disturbance that can disrupt or damage sensitive circuits. The causes of EMI are numerous and can include both manmade and naturally-occurring sources. In industrial and commercial settings, the causes of EMI typically include brush motors, computer circuits, and lighting.
Enclosure gaskets that are made of particle-filled silicones provide both EMI shielding and environmental sealing. These metal-filled elastomers also provide electrical conductivity and resist a wide range of service temperatures. For applications that require resistance to fuels and industrial fluids, EMI gaskets made of particle-filled fluorosilicones are used.
Find Electrical Enclosure Gaskets and Rubber Genset Seals
Elasto Proxy makes electrical enclosure gaskets and rubber genset seals. We source rubber materials in sheets, rolls, and profiles and specialize in low-to-medium gasket fabrication for attractive minimum order quantities (MOQs). With our water jet cutting equipment, we can make fine, fast cuts without waiting for tooling. We also offer a variety of bonding methods for reliable rubber door gaskets.
As a value-added manufacturer, Elasto Proxy can also review your enclosure seal designs and even make cost-saving recommendations about rubber compounds. Sometimes, engineers think they need a specialty rubber when a commodity elastomer could meet the application requirements. To learn more about electrical enclosure gaskets or rubber genset seals, contact us.
NEMA Rating | IP Equivalent | NEMA Definition | IP Definition | IP Protection Level |
1 | IP 10 | Enclosures constructed for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment & to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt. | 1 = Protected against solid foreign objects of 50mm in diameter & greater | 0 = Not Protected |
2 | IP 11 | Enclosures constructed for indoor used to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment, to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, & to provide a degree of protection against dripping & light splashing of liquids. | 1 = Protected against solid foreign objects of 50mm in diameter & greater | 1 = Protected against vertically falling water drops |
3 | IP 54 | Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor used to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to proved a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow, & windblown dust; & that will undamaged by external formation of ice on the enclosure. | 5 = Protected against dust – Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions – Limited to ingress permitted. |
3R | IP14 | Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor used to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, & snow; & that will be undamaged by external formation of ice on the enclosure. | 1 = Protected against vertically falling water drops | 4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions – Limited to ingress permitted. |
3S | IP54 | Enclosures are constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow, & windblown dust; & in which the external mechanism(s) remain operable when ice laden. | 5 = Protected against dust – Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions – Limited to ingress permitted. |
4 | IP56 | Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow, windblown dust, splashing water, & hose-directed water; & that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure. | 4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions – Limited to ingress permitted. | 6 = Protected against strong jets of water from all directions – Limited to ingress permitted. |
4X | IP56 | Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt, rain, sleet, snow, windblown dust, splashing water, hose-directed water, & corrosion; & that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure. | 5 = Protected against dust – Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 6 = Protected against strong jets of water from all directions – Limited to ingress permitted. |
5 | IP52 | Enclosures constructed for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against settling airborne dust, lint, fibers, & flyings; & to provide a degree of protection against dripping & light splashing of liquids. | 5 = Protected against dust – Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 2 = Protected against direct sprays of water up to 15° from the vertical. |
6 | IP67 | Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against hose-directed water & the entry of water during occasional temporary submersion at a limited depth; & that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure. | 6 = Totally protected against dust | 7 = Protected against the effects of temporary immersion between 15cm & 1m. Duration of test 30 minutes. |
6P | IP67 | Enclosures constructed for either indoor or outdoor use to provide a degree of protection to the personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against hose-directed water & the entry of water during prolonged submersion at a limited depth; & that will be undamaged by the external formation of ice on the enclosure. | 6 = Totally protected against dust | 7 = Protected against the effects of temporary immersion between 15cm & 1m. Duration of test 30 minutes. |
12 & 12K | IP52 | Enclosures constructed (without knockouts) for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against circulating dust, lint, fibers, & flying; & against dripping & light splashing of liquids. | 5 = Protected against dust – Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 2 = Protected against direct sprays of water up to 15° from the vertical. |
13 | IP54 | Enclosures constructed for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against circulating dust, lint, fibers, & flyings; & against the spraying, splashing, & seepage of water, oil, & noncorrosive coolants. | 5 = Protected against dust – Limited to ingress (no harmful deposit) | 4 = Protected against water sprayed from all directions – Limited to ingress permitted. |
N/A | IP65 | Enclosures constructed (without knockouts) for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against circulating dust, lint, fibers, & flying; & against dripping & light splashing of liquids. | 6 = Totally protected against dust | 5 = Protected against water projected from a nozzle. |
N/A | IP66 | Enclosures constructed (without knockouts) for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against incidental contact with the enclosed equipment; to provide a degree of protection against falling dirt; against circulating dust, lint, fibers, & flying; & against dripping & light splashing of liquids. | 6 = Totally protected against dust |
