Insulated switch enclosure

[denbigh1974]

I need an insulated enclosure to house four double pole switches and one three pole switch.

The box MUST be insulated. It also needs five 20mm circular knockouts on its bottom edge to accept SWA cable glands (the armour is earthed at the other end of the cable).

I've tried MK and Hager. They do not supply a plastic enclosure with circular knockouts. Can anyone suggest an alternative manufacturer, please?

[Andrew Mawson]

knockouts

Making the 20mm holes in an 'unholed' plastic box is a doddle with a hole saw like:

. is a doddle but you need to buy the mounting arbor as well

AWEM

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I'd say most plastic wouldn't be rigid enough for SWA glands.

My first port of call would be RS Components. But expect to pay. ;-)

What's it for? Perhaps their might be an alternative way?

[Andrew Gabriel]

Well, the standard IMO ones would be fine, but I think you might struggle to fine something like that as a backbox for a switchplate.

A couple of thoughts come to mind... Use an IMO box next to a regular plastic surface mount switch with knockouts between them, or Find a big enough IMO box that you can make a cutout in the lid and fix a regular switchplate to it.

I did wonder if it was just insulate the SWA armour, for which I think insulated glands are available, although I've never used them.

[Chip]

On 20 Jun 2005 04:22:39 -0700,it is alleged that [e-mail] spake thusly in uk.d-i-y:

As has been mentioned by others, your best bet is a separate box to terminate the cables, then lead into a switch enclosure. The larger plastic boxes by Gewiss[sp?] may well be good for this, the plastic is thick, and I have used them in the past with success to terminate both SWA and MICC cables, using glands, and the glands didn't show any signs of damaging the plastic. A simple 20mm holesaw would be good enough to make the holes for the glands, or at a pinch, even a large normal drillbit and a round file, as it's only plastic.

The boxes shown under "weatherproof moulded boxes IP56" at

would appear suitable. With some ingenuity you could possibly even mount the switches in the lid of this enclosure.

holesaws if you choose to go that route [they're not too expensive and they last a LONG time]

HTH

[denbigh1974]

You're right, it is just to insulate the SWA armour. The only insulated cable glands that I can find are at

and you can see that they are over =A340 + VAT each!

I've subsequently found that Merlin Gerin do a IP65 plastic enclosure called Kaedra which has five plastic knockouts

so I'll buy one of these and hope that it's strong enough to hold the SWA cable glands.

Just to expand on my application - I am running flat twin & earth from my consumer unit (TN-C-S) to the switch box by the back door. From the switch box I am running SWA cables to a few outhouses (50m away) and some garden lights. Each outside circuit has its own earth electrode, to which the SWA cable earth is attached.

The switch box will enable me to isolate the outside circuits from within the main building.

Thanks to everyone for their help.

[Ed Sirett]

[Tom]

Have you tried RS Components?