NEMA vs IP Enclosure Ratings

NEMA Enclosure Rating System

NEMA separates enclosures into different classes by their ability to provide protection against solid objects, corrosive liquid, noncorrosive liquid, and corrosion.

Nemaco offers a select group of NEMA enclosure classes that adhere to NEMA Standard Publication 250-2003: NEMA 3R, 3RX,4, 4X, 6P and 12. For more information regarding NEMA ratings, please visit our NEMA rating standard resources. If you are already familiar with NEMA ratings, please visit our NEMA enclosure products page.

IP Enclosure Rating Systems (Ingress Protection)

Additionally, we offer enclosures that adhere to Ingress Protection (IP) or International Protection ratings. These ratings are defined by the international standard of EN 60529 (British BS EN 60529:1992, European IEC 60509:1989). These IP codes are used to outline levels of protection for the application inside enclosures against solid and liquid.

IP ratings are indicated by two digits, each with its own meaning, i.e.:

  • IP65 (number 0–6 or letter X)
    The first digit in the combination refers to the level of protection that the enclosure provides against access to internal hazards (e.g., electrical conductors, moving parts) and the ingress of solid foreign objects.
  • IP66 (number 0-9 or letter X)
    The second digit in the combination refers to the level of protection that the enclosure provides against harmful ingress of water.

If you are already familiar with IP ratings, please visit our Nemaco IP enclosure products. However, if you need more information about IP ratings, please visit our resources.

Please be advised, IP ratings and NEMA ratings are the two industry standards. Both use different methods to categorize levels of protection enclosures provide. Therefore, please ensure you understand all details about both standards to clearly specify which Nemaco enclosure suits your needs.

If you would like a clearer comparison between NEMA and IP Ratings please visit our Comparison Chart.

NEMA Enclosure Ratings

Nemaco provides top quality NEMA electrical enclosures that adhere to NEMA Rating standards.

Our company enclosures adhere to the basic design requirements of the NEMA enclosure rating system including the following specifications: NEMA 3R, 3RX, 4, 4X, 6, 6P and 12. Each rating indicates different levels of protection against ingress of solids and liquids. Please see the information below for more details regarding each of these NEMA cabinet ratings. Please refer to Comparison Chart to distinguish differences between all the ratings.

We design & manufacture a variety of enclosure configurations and ratings: wall-mount, floor-mount, free-standing, mobile wheels, single door, double door, single bay, double wide bay, and more. Our engineers offer expert customization from a library of features you can hand-pick for your unique enclosure or cabinet.

Ratings we provide:
NEMA 3R Enclosures
NEMA 4 Enclosures
NEMA 4X Enclosures
NEMA 6 Enclosures
NEMA 6P Enclosures
NEMA 12 Enclosures

NEMA 3R Enclosure Rating

NEMA 3R enclosures and cabinets are intended for both indoor and outdoor environments.
Protection against solid objects: Guards against fingers, falling dirt, etc.
Protection against water ingress: Shields against falling rain, sleet, snow, and damage from ice.

Nemaco manufactures 3R enclosures in stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum and fiberglass, with optional powder-coat finishes. We offer free-standing, wall-mount, floor-mount, mobile-wheel, single and double-door, double-bay models and climate control systems.

**For more information see our NEMA 3R Enclosures .

NEMA 4 Enclosure Rating

NEMA 4 enclosures are for indoor & outdoor use.
Protection against solids: Guards against fingers, falling dirt, windblown dust, lint, fibers.
Protection against water ingress: Shields against rain, sleet, snow, splashing & hose-directed water, ice.

Available in stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum & fiberglass with powder-coat options. We offer free-standing, wall-mount, floor-mount, mobile-wheel, single/double door, double bay, and climate control systems.

**For more information see our NEMA 4 Enclosures .

Additional over 3R:
Solid: Windblown dust.
Liquid: Splashes & hose-directed water.

NEMA 4X Enclosure Rating

NEMA 4X enclosures are for indoor & outdoor use, with added corrosion resistance.
Protection against solids: Fingers, falling dirt, windblown dust, lint, fibers.
Protection against water ingress: Rain, sleet, snow, splashing/hose-directed water, ice.

Available in 304/316 stainless or 5052/6061 aluminum, with powder-coat options. We offer free-standing, wall-mount, floor-mount, mobile-wheel, single/double door, double bay and climate control systems.

**For more info see our NEMA 4X Enclosures .

Also over 3R & 4:
Corrosion: Extra protection against rust.

NEMA 6 Enclosure Rating

NEMA 6 enclosures are for indoor & outdoor use.
Protection against solids: Fingers, falling dirt, windblown dust, etc.
Protection against water ingress: Rain, sleet, snow, splashing/hose-directed water, ice; plus temporary submersion at limited depth.

Available in stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum & fiberglass, with powder-coat options. We offer junction box, free-standing, wall-mount and floor-mount 6-rating enclosures.

**For more info see our NEMA 6 Enclosures .

Also over 3R & 4: extra dust, water and corrosion protection;
Also over 4X: submersion at limited depth.

NEMA 6P Enclosure Rating

NEMA 6P submersible enclosures are for indoor & outdoor use — waterproof submersible boxes.
Protection against solids: Fingers, falling dirt, windblown dust, etc.
Protection against water ingress: Rain, sleet, snow, splashing/hose-directed water, ice; plus prolonged submersion at limited depth and corrosion protection.

Available in stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum & fiberglass, with powder-coat options. We offer junction box, free-standing, wall-mount and floor-mount 6P enclosures.

**For more info see our NEMA 6P Enclosures .

Also over 3R, 4 & 6: added corrosion & submersion protection.

NEMA 12 Enclosure Rating

NEMA 12 enclosures are for indoor use only.
Protection against solids: Fingers, falling dirt, windblown dust, lint, fibers, etc.
Protection against water ingress: Light splashing water, oil & coolant seepage.

Available in stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum & fiberglass, with powder-coat options. We offer free-standing, wall-mount, floor-mount, mobile-wheel, single/double door, double bay 12-rating enclosures.

**For more info see our NEMA 12 Enclosures .

Also over 3R: better dust protection, but NEMA 12 provides only light splash protection.