Are your electrical enclosure gaskets a safety hazard?

Jun 01, 2023

By Mike Santora | May 18, 2023

From meters to fuse boxes to enclosed lighting, you’re surrounded by electrical components on the job. Most of them have gaskets just inside the electrical enclosure to stop outside particles from getting into the wiring compartment. But are your current gaskets the right fit and material for your work environment? Do they protect your electrical enclosures from rain or harmful airborne particles? Are there any gaps or signs of wear? You might not know the answers to these questions, and the consequences could be dire for your business.

An inefficient design for electrical enclosure gaskets can allow gases and liquids to leak into your devices. This can cause everything from system failures that require time-consuming repairs to fires that put your facility and employees at risk. A molded gasket allows an all-around customized fit that can protect your electrical enclosures against harmful debris, gases, and liquids.

Aero Rubber Company works with molded parts every day and can help you optimize your gaskets for the protection you need. With Aero in your corner, sudden electrical equipment failures due to leaking gaskets can become a concern of the past.

Why Molded Gaskets?Electrical components are expensive. Using gaskets that leave gaps or break down in your work environment can jeopardize your budget and your employees’ safety. Custom molded gaskets can help eliminate some of the biggest risks by offering the most complex design of any gasket method.

When you work with Aero for your molded gasket, we’ll help you identify opportunities to make your gaskets more effective. Our sales engineers are ready to guide you through the process of optimizing the protection around your electrical enclosure.

Customized FitA molded part has greater design flexibility and gives you more control over your gasket profile. Molded gaskets have more depth and more design capabilities to fully seal your electrical enclosure. You can add ribs and other complex points of contact to the design to enhance the gasket. A gasket that is custom molded into the shape you need makes it nearly impossible for outside particles to breach the enclosure.

Adaptive DesignA molded gasket also provides a higher level of protection for your electrical enclosures thanks to its adaptability. Most mating surfaces will have minor inconsistencies by default. A molded gasket's robust nature compensates for any gaps in your enclosure that a flat gasket would leave vulnerable. This means more contact between the surfaces of your electrical enclosure, significantly reducing the chances of leakage or contamination.

Molded parts have far more design flexibility than a flat gasket and can create the seamless protection your electrical enclosures demand. Aero's sales engineers can review any concerns you have about your current design. Your team will also offer tips on developing top-quality molded gaskets for better security of your electrical enclosures.

Airtight & Watertight Molded GasketsElectrical components at a job site are often exposed to elements in the air as well as water and other liquids. If not enclosed properly, particles and fluids can erode your gasket over time and eventually damage your equipment. This type of contamination can lead to everything from the breakdown of parts to minor system failures to fires and other critical safety hazards. A molded gasket blocks debris, water, chemicals, and other fluids from entering the device.

Outdoor WorksitesAirtight and watertight molded gaskets are ideal for enclosed electrical devices and components used in outdoor environments. Here are a few instances where switching to a gasket with this type of specialized molded gasket could really pay off.

Flammable Gases/Air ParticlesEnsuring an airtight seal can be particularly crucial when you work with flammable gases and air particles. A custom-molded gasket can stop gases from entering the enclosure and interfering with the device's inner workings. Airtight molded gaskets are ideal for electrical devices around flammable gases in industries like these below.

Flat gaskets can leave gaps for harmful gases to seep into your device. Airtight molded gaskets create more contact between surfaces. This minimizes the risk of dangerous substances coming into contact with the internal components of your electrical devices. Your team at Aero can suggest materials that are well-suited to the type of air contamination you’re protecting your devices against.

Water SubmersionSome electrical enclosures, especially in the defense or transportation industries, may be partially or completely submerged underwater. The right gasket for these applications would need to withstand high levels of pressure without leakage. A flat gasket's gaps can leak during a pressure test, but your molded gasket's complex design absorbs your enclosure's inconsistencies and keeps your device in working order.

Aero's sales engineers can help you choose the right material, material hardness, and features to properly protect electrical enclosures against water and other liquids and chemicals that could harm your electrical devices.

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