SUNSHIELDS AND SOLAR RADIATION

SUNSHIELDS AND SOLAR RADIATION

Metal Enclosures exposed to the sun are subjected to solar radiation. This will result in heat buildup inside enclosure. This extra heat plus the heat dissipated from the electrical compents inside the enclosure can cause unacceptable high temperatures, leading to component failure.

AE Stainless Direct sunshield kits are:
    • 4 x Plates (sides, front and top)
    • Made from 1.5 mm 316 stainless steel
    • Fit any standard enclosure
    • 50mm spacing between the enclosure and the sunshield
    • The standard kit comes with all the M8 bolts, Standoffs (18mm diameter, M8), sealing washers and M8 dome nuts to install the shields and to maintain the IP66 rating.
All the kits are made to order, so at no extra cost, customers can request cutouts for swing handles, vent etc.

AE Stainless Direct can also make custom sunshield kits, with custom quantity shields. (For example a sun shield just for the door or extra sunshields for the rear of the enclosure.)

AE Stainless Direct can also lasercut the holes into the enclosure so that it is prepared for the sunshields, allowing for an easy bolt-on onsite. Please note we do not install the sunshields prior to shipping, due to shipping damage.

During field trials carried out by AE Stainless Direct, it was shown that the temperature inside a 600Hx400Wx200D enclosure will go up to 46°C, while ambient temperature was 36.8°C – so an increase of 9.2°C.

The best solution is to add sunshields to the enclosure to prevent solar radiation. In the same trial, the temperature inside the enclosure, fitted with sunshields, only increase by 1.2°C. Another cost efficient solution (but not as effective and robust), is to powder coat the enclosure a light colour (white is the best). In the above trial, the temperature in a stainless steel enclosure, powder coated white, increased to 3.7°C above ambient. If the white colouring however gets affected by dirt and dust, it will decrease its efficiency.

Note: The bigger the enclosure, the bigger area there are for solar radiation, thus the hotter the enclosure will get. Therefore, the sunshield efficiency will increase as the enclosure size increases.

The above trial was carried out on:
    • A standard AE Stainless enclosure 600Hx400Wx200D (SS-600x400x200)
    • A standard AE Stainless enclosure 600Hx400Wx200D, fitted with a sun shield kit (SS-Sun-600x400x200)
    • A standard AE Stainless enclosure 600Hx400Wx200D, powder coated white
Each enclosure was mounted on a post, using AE Stainless Direct pole mounting kit (SS-PMK-400), with the door facing north.

DOWNLOAD THE GRAPHS OF THE 11-DAY TRIAL HERE