Industrial Signals – Explosive Atmospheres and Harsh Environments

Strobes, horns, push buttons and combination units are amongst the standard availability of products and include a wide range of options. These rugged appliances are designed for use in applications such as process shutdown, alarm and emergency signaling, condition signaling, security alert, equipment obstruction warning and plant-wide alarm notification. Their tough construction is made to outlast the most explosive industries from chemical refineries and power generation plants to liquid natural gas and marine terminals.

Cooper Wheelock’s MEDC® line of strobes, horns, push buttons and combination units offer numerous features. These units have been fully tested and approved to a wide-range of global standards. Suitable for the toughest of environments, these solutions have flameproof enclosures, are intrinsically safe, and are rated as Class 1, Division 1/ Class 1, Division 2/Class 1, Zones 1 & 2 hazardous areas solutions. In addition, these products provide reliability, high-ambient temperature capability, dust-tight enclosures, high corrosion resistance, and NEMA 4 Watertight and Marine ratings.

The rugged, corrosion-free construction offers a high level of ingress protection, which ensures that these products are reliable and operate effectively in all situations. The glass reinforced polyester enclosures are suitable for use offshore or onshore where lightweight combined with a high level of corrosion resistance is required. Internal junction boxes within the GRP enclosure provide added protection and reliability in environments where salt water, rain, and condensation persist.

Cooper Wheelock’s MEDC® line of products feature a host of IP ratings, but what do they mean?

What are IP ratings?

IP is an abbreviation for Ingress Protection. It is a standard for electrical enclosures. The ratings refer to the equipments ability to allow solids and liquids into its enclosure. The IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) defines these under standard 60529.
The ratings are always displayed as two numbers. The first number refers to the protection against solids and the second number is protection against liquids.

How does this differ from NEMA ratings?

NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) also considers other items such as corrosion, rust and construction details. Because of this, it is possible to say a NEMA Type is similar to an IP rating, but the inverse is not true. It is not correct to state that an IP rating is similar to a NEMA Type.

Is it truly an international standard?

Most countries outside Europe or North America use the IEC Standards as a basis for their own national standards. The Russian Federation certifies equipment to GOST ‘R’ standards. These closely follow CENELEC practice.
There is a scheme in place, which will when fully adopted, allow for internationally recognized certification to become a reality, this is the IEC EX SCHEME. This uses the IEC standards and IEC recognized test and certification bodies to issue mutually recognized test reports and certificates. The scheme is in its infancy and its level of success cannot yet be measured.

North American practice is to use NEMA standards to describe ingress protection:

NEMA 3 is similar to IP 54
NEMA 4 is similar to IP 55
NEMA 4x is similar to IP 56
NEMA 6 is similar to IP 67

To learn more about Cooper Wheelock’s industrial signals for explosive atmospheres and hazardous locations, please visit our website www.cooperwheelock.com.

About Cooper Wheelock

Cooper Wheelock, Inc., is a subsidiary of Cooper Menvier, a division of Cooper Industries, Ltd. (NYSE: CBE). Cooper Wheelock is the global leader in notification. With the ever present need to protect, alert and inform, Cooper Wheelock’s vision is focused on meeting the growing demand for personnel and property safety. We are the source for notification solutions including fire and security notification appliances, notification systems and industrial signaling products for government, healthcare, education and industry. For more information, please visit www.cooperwheelock.com.

About Cooper Industries

Cooper Industries, Ltd. is a global manufacturer with 2006 revenues of $5.2 billion, approximately 85 percent of which are from electrical products. Incorporated in Bermuda with administrative headquarters in Houston, Cooper employs approximately 31,000 people and operates eight divisions: Cooper B-Line, Cooper Bussmann, Cooper Crouse-Hinds, Cooper Lighting, Cooper Menvier, Cooper Power Systems, Cooper Wiring Devices and Cooper Tools group. Cooper Connection provides a common marketing and selling platform for Cooper’s sales to electrical distributors. For more information, visit www.cooperindustries.com.