Control Security for Electrical Enclosure Cooling Systems

The local digital controller fitted to electrical enclosure air conditioners is usually mounted on the face of the air conditioner where maintenance personnel can quickly and easily verify the electrical enclosure temperature and the status of the enclosure air conditioner. This is ideal, but there are situations when it is not practical and an alternative mounting arrangement is required.

Remote Controller

In those situations, it’s possible to use the remote controller option, which allows mounting the controller inside the electrical enclosure. This arrangement eliminates the opening on the face of the air conditioning unit. The cable connecting the remote controller to the air conditioner is fed directly into the electrical enclosure. The eight foot long remote controller cable permits convenient mounting with the supplied bracket anywhere inside most electrical enclosures.

Reasons for a Remote Controller

Although the most convenient position for the programmable digital controller is on the face of the enclosure air conditioner, this is not always possible or practical:

• Electrical enclosures accessible to the public: Electrical equipment placed in locations frequented by the public must be securely locked and all controls made inaccessible to reduce the risk of vandalism or unauthorized tampering with the operation of the enclosure air conditioner.  The keypad on the controller can be locked to prevent unauthorized access, but the visibility of the controller display sometimes attracts unwanted attention.
• Outdoor electrical enclosures: The LED display of the controller may not be visible in bright light, especially if the enclosure faces toward the sun.
• Corrosive chemicals: In locations subject to corrosive chemicals, placing the controller inside the enclosure reduces the risk of damage to the display.
• Dusty environments: In very dusty environments, the controller display may become obscured.

Using Remote Alarms with Remote Controller Option

In situations when it’s not wise or practical to have a digital controller on the face of the enclosure air conditioner, the use of a controller mounted inside the electrical enclosure ensures proper control of the air conditioner, free from unauthorized interference.  The primary disadvantage of using a remote controller is that the status of the enclosure air is not immediately apparent and the electrical enclosure needs to be opened to view the temperature, view alarms and adjust settings. This may be inconvenient, and monitoring may be neglected. Frequent opening of the enclosure may subject the electrical equipment to excessive exposure to harsh environments, damage the seals, and affect the operation of the air conditioner. In these situations, it is recommended that air conditioners be fitted with an optional high temperature alarm dry contact, industrial network connection or an alarm and control web server that permits off-site monitoring.

Does your application require a remote controller? Speak to a Thermal Edge sales rep today to select the option that is best for your application.