3 Solutions to Protect your Electrical Enclosures From Condensation and Humidity

What is condensation?

Formation of condensation is one of the biggest dangers for electrical enclosures. Condensation is caused by hot, humid air coming into contact with a colder surface than the air dew point.

With Spring’s typical variable weather conditions, outdoor enclosures are even more exposed to the risk of condensation. Condensation can also occur indoors if the humidity is too high.

When the humidity is high is does not take a large change in temperature to cause condensate to form inside the cabinet.

How to prevent condensation?

The most efficient solution is to combine Filterfans® and Heaters with control devices such as Hygrostats and Thermostats. Fan Heaters are typically used in outdoor applications where ambient temperature can threaten sensitive electronics. Radiant Heaters are often used to reduce humidity and control condensate within the enclosure.

1. Filterfans® + Rainhoods

Filterfans® are the ideal solution for clean, non-hazardous environments with an acceptable ambient (outside the enclosure) temperature range.

Designed for use with standard Filterfans®Pfannenberg’s new Rainhoods (Patent Pending) protect your application from harsh environments like rain, water spray, snow or fluids from being drawn into the enclosure.  This product feature a robust design rated to NEMA TYPE 3R/4/4x and IPx6 when used with Pfannenberg Filterfans®.

Adding a Heater to your Filterfan® + Rainhood solution will ensure a proper humidity control. This combination is the optimum solution for the economical and energy efficient cooling of electrical enclosure components.

2. Fan Heaters

Pfannenberg Heaters prevent condensate build up and therefore protect against corrosion.

Compact fan heater with thermostatFan HeaterMini radiant heaterThe PFH-T Fan Heaters with Thermostat are designed to protect electronics from the effects of low temperatures such as corrosion, freezing or condensation, which can damage critical components within a control enclosure.

The PRH-M Mini Radiant Heaters are ideal for small outdoor enclosures, preventing condensate formation.

The FLH Heaters are ideal for use in larger electrical enclosures.

3. Thermostats / Hygrostats

Industrial ThermostatHygrostat FLZ 600

Pfannenberg’s Hygrostats allow you to effectively control the humidity level inside the enclosure. These devices are used to start the heater or filterfan® if the predetermined humidity threshold is reached.

When combining a Pfannenberg Thermostat with a Filterfan®, the fan can be controlled to turn on and off based on the temperature inside the cabinet.

The benefits to this combined system are:
• Extended fan life.
• Reduced energy consumption.
• Reduced consumables and maintenance.

As a system; Filterfans, Heaters, Thermostats and Hygrostats will ensure that the environment within the enclosure is ideal for the performance and service life of the critical electronics.

 

How to Choose the Best Heater for your Electrical Enclosure?

Condensation is one of the biggest dangers for electrical enclosures. As long as the components operate under load, their own warmth prevents water from condensing. If the process is switched off, the electronics cool down. This is where Pfannenberg control cabinet radiant heaters and fan heaters provide additional protection for your electronics.

 

How to Choose the Best Heater for your Electrical Enclosure?


Radiant Heaters
Pfannenberg PRH-M Mini Radiant Heaters (10 to 30 Watts) are ideal for smaller enclosures or for the heating of isolated spots in sensitive areas. These heaters use natural convection to heat the cabinet and prevent condensate formation. FLH series of Radiant Heaters (up to 150 Watts) are used in combination with a thermostat or hygrostat, mainly to avoid excessively low temperatures or high humidity into the enclosure.


Fan Heaters
Ideal for use in larger electrical enclosures with higher heat requirements, Pfannenberg FLH series of Fan Heaters (250 to 400 Watts) have an integrated fan that assists the natural convection and provides fast distribution of the heat in the electrical enclosure. The fan heaters are used in combination with a thermostat or hygrostat, and are designed to protect electronics from moisture or corrosion caused by high humidity, low temperatures or condensation caused by rapid temperature change.

Need more than “just” a Heater?


Pfannenberg also offers a range of fan heaters with an  integrated thermostat: PFH-T (200 – 1200 Watts) dedicated to larger enclosures and with flexible mounting options. These fan heaters with adjustable thermostat are especially designed to protect electronics from the effects of low temperatures such as corrosion, freezing or condensation, which can damage critical components within a control enclosure.

To provide the best Thermal Management for your electronics, using a thermostat or hygrostat results in greater reliability of your production process:

  • Pinpoint distribution and constant temperature in the control cabinet
  • Reduced energy consumption and optimization of the efficiency of the heaters.
  • Additional savings on energy, materials and time.

Pfannenberg’s heaters, thermostats and hygrostats  detect and keep ambient conditions above dew point to avoid the harmful effects of condensation on your electronics. They can be used as a standalone product or in partnership with our Filterfan® and Cooling Unit product lines for a complete Thermal Management of your electrical enclosures.

Topics: Thermal ManagementHeaters

Pfannenberg – Global Solutions and Support for OEMS


When it comes down to the final decision on whether or not to purchase new equipment for a plant, the decision tends to fall down to three major concerns:

  1. What preventative yearly/monthly/weekly/daily maintenance is required?
  2. Is it able to withstand the environment?
  3. How much time and money will it save?

For OEMS to be competitve and meet the needs of their end use customers, there are 3 main areas that are looked at when choosing the supporting components for their equipment.

Components that are Built to Last

For more than 60 years, we have been helping guarantee production safety for OEMs and end users throughout the world.  Sensitive control technology needs to be protected from many environmental conditions. With NEMA Type 4/4X, IP 56 protection, our cooling units satisfy the toughest environments.

Support and Accessibility

Pfannenberg innovation has made it one of the largest globally operating manufacturers of thermal management and process cooling equipment today.  Our wide product range includes complete system solutions for machine and enclosure cooling along with visual and audible signaling devicesfor events that require alarm, warning or indication notifications.

Support… when and where it’s needed – In addition to manufacturing facilities location on three continents, Pfannenberg has developed a worldwide network of local subsidiaries and sales/service partners eager to meet your service needs and help you select the correct solution.

If maintenance of your enclosure cooling system is required you can expect immediate assistance from Pfannenberg. Our repair service affords you the fastest possible response – nationally or internationally. We ensure that your cooling system is returned to optimal condition – even if it’s not a Pfannenberg product.  Our on-site service gets you back on-line faster, eliminating the transit time associated with factory repair programs.

Experts in Industry Group Solutions

As a leading thermal management solutions
company, we can develop products quicker than the competition while optimizing the solution for that specific industry group’s requirements. The high performance of our products comes from years of research and design experience. Trust us to be the experts in your industry to provide you  with the proper cooling solution.


Have a question regarding which equipment is best for your application? Ask Us Here.

Selecting the Proper Equipment for Food and Beverage Applications


Proper thermal management is key for saving resources and keeping electronics (and equipment) up and running on a consistent basis. It is important to understand the various types of cooling methods available and how the ambient conditions may effect the product chosen.  Choosing the wrong method may lead to a solution that is undersized or oversized, or fails prematurely due to being specified for incompatible ambient conditions.


Selection of the preferred thermal management method, based on various environmental conditions:

Click here to view our thermal management selection guide.


With products that include fans, heaters, packaged air conditioners, air to water heat exchangers, packaged process chillers, and signaling devices, Pfannenberg offers a full range of thermal management solutions for the food and beverage industry. Standard options such as stainless steel materials, NEMA 4/4X enclosures, and washdown duty construction allow these time-tested products to be seamlessly incorporated into even the most demanding food and beverage processing applications.


Have a question regarding which equipment is best for your application? Ask Us Here.

Be sure to follow our NEW Food and Beverage LinkedIn Showcase Page!

Topics: Air Water Heat ExchangersFilterfansCooling UnitsThermal ManagementHeatersFood & BeverageChillersAir Air Heat Exchangers

Control Enclosure Temperatures in a Food & Beverage Manufacturing Plant


Controlling enclosure temperature is crucial in the food and beverage industry.  If the temperature is too warm or too cold, condensation and higher risks of contamination arises. 

Pfannenberg’s Heaters, Thermostats & Hygrostats detect and keep ambient conditions above dew point to avoid the harmful effects of condensation on your electronics and products. They can be used as standalone or in partnership with our other Thermal Management solutions specifically our Filterfan® and Cooling Unit product lines.

  • Thermostats are used for alarming, fan control and heater control
  • Hygrostats can control humidity levels within enclosure when used with small heaters
  • Heaters are available for cabinets in cold storage areas as well as for condensate management

For over 60 years, Pfannenberg has been helping to cool and maintain temperatures for your electronics.


 

Topics: Thermal ManagementNorth AmericaHygrostatsThermostatsHeatersFood & Beverage