Waterproof cabinet / box?

I'm looking to site my Transwave rotary converter out of my workshop. Firstly I don't have a suitable floor space for it and secondly, if I put it anywhere else, the vibration is too much - ie on top of a cabinet or on a shelf.

So the thought was to site it outside in a waterproof box or cabinet.

Anyone got any thoughts on this? and, of course, where I may get one!

Matt

How about a box from this lot. I think the hard part will be wiring it up. The regulations were tightened sharply a few years back. I expect one of the electricians will know.

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 13/04/2019 15:19:14

Don't they have louvred sides presumably for cooling which won't work well in a box.

I don't know what size your rotary converter is but this item may do Link it seems to have air vents in door.

Mike

Would a case from a scrapped air con unit be suitable ,they live outside .

They do - but was anticipating either a larger cabinet or some form of ventilation.

General limiting factor is that the depth (internally) need to be 450mm and then I'm going to have to use a rightangle 3 phase plug.

I had thought of a garden box but I think I may end up making something - just need to try and make it resilient to the elements. Maybe a mini garden shed or lean to with lining....

Edited By Matt Harrington on 13/04/2019 18:12:15

How about a plastic coal bunker? Cheaper than the Adept cabinets and larger. My 500kg bunker is approx. 600 x 1200 x 1000mm, keeps the fuel dry so should keep your RC dry. N

Keeping the rain off and stopping fog and temperature changes making the guts damp are different things. Electrics don't like damp, especially 400v electrics.

If you put it outside you may have to put in a small tubular heater and thermostat in the enclosure to keep condensation at bay, have done similar for compressors etc in the past. You can wire a cooling fan if necessary to cool down equipment as well. We just knocked up a wooden and board structure with plenty of room and loovered door

David

David, I'm tending to think about going this way and I do have a spare tubular heater !

Matt

Given the cost of replacing a rotary converter and the dangers of wet electrics, that worries me a bit too. Certainly not an insoluble problem but I think there are a number of questions worth asking before deciding on a solution:

• Is security an issue - theft, vandalism or curious children? (May suggests locks and strong construction.)
• How exposed to weather is the location? (Avoid louvres open to driving rain and plastics that don't like strong sunshine.)
• What's the likely range of temperature inside the box, mid-winter to high-summer? (May require insulation, heating, and cooling fans. Rotary conversion is electrically inefficient and produces significant waste heat - running one without adequate ventilation will overheat it.)
• Will the box and it's location be a fire risk to the rest of the property? (May suggest steel rather than plastic construction or a change of location.)
• Are there any legal or insurance issues it would be unreasonable to ignore?
• Does anyone else have an opinion? (Landlord, SWMBO ...)

Matt's options are much wider if he lives on a farm and can put the box in a sheltered private spot. A different arrangement would be needed if the converter and wiring was to be located next to a public pavement in the window box on the weather side of a London flat.

Dave

It has to be said that every cable company, no matter who built the network does exactly what is being discussed in their streetside equipment cabinets.

They all have mains in them and they can all be touched by the public.

Some get slugs crawling over the cct boards .

Nothing dies except the slugs and I don't believe any cabinets catch fire.

The worst thing that happens is single skin ones bake in the summer sun, which kills the batteries.

Other thing to consider is neighbours and the noise putting it outside.

Do have a 5.5kw Transwave rotary kept as backup last used in 2010. Mines as loud as a compressor under minimal load, put in some boxes could amplify the noise and vibration. Certainly would not want to have that thing of mine outdoors, neighbours would be phoning the council.

True, but Cable cabinets are probably over the top for Matt's needs.

The old ones are simple boxes, the mains supply got no special treatment.

You don't need a Rolls to go shopping

Edited By Dave Halford on 15/04/2019 11:26:03

Cable cabs don't have mains or even the ELV, it's normally 48v, and all the electronics are in sealed boxes. The telephone wire terminations are the only exposed elements which is why they can suffer from noise on the line.

I suppose it depends how much you want to spend.

Here are links to 2 suppliers of steel cabinets:

Ritherdon

Glasdon

Or you could make a brick cubicle with a concrete flag as a roof.

This a drawing of a brick cubicle used for temporary electricity supplies.

Brick cubicle drawing

I have a 10hp R/c to power my workshop.

I mounted it on an angle iron frame,screwed to the wall,one to cut down on the noise by being mounted on a shelf [this was a no-go,too noisy ] The second reason was to save floor space.. There was still some noise from it,not a lot,but this was solved by fitting a plywood cover,open at the bottom. To date this has worked well,noise is very little,damp is not a problem. I would say,keep it inside,too easy to have it knocked off,and they dont come cheap.

Larry,

I have been deliberating over this and your idea sounds like it is worth a go. I have some high density foam and was thinking about mounting it on that which in turn is on a board which is then screwed to a frame. I am thinking about boarding the loft space in the garage and so if I mount the frame above that I maybe able to save on the noise as well. Remote switching of the RC will be OK (have checked!)

By the weekend I should have formed a plan!!

Thanks for all the input - I have decided against an outside box ......

Matt