Electrical Panel Drain 1

[ThePunisher]

In a winter weather (-40 Deg Average), do we really need drain fittings on outdoor electrical panels if the panels are equipped with space heating and cable entries are by cable glands terminated at the bottom of panel. I believe installing this drain fitting on outdoor panels with space heating in a winter country is not required and may be useless due to freezing weather. As the panel is has internal space heaters, placing a drain will only impair the internal heating as it will bleed out heating

 

[waross]

Wow! Where do you live?
I thought that I lived in a wintry country in east central Alberta Canada.
I seldom see -40, some winters not at all.
A -40 average must be brutal.
Is that a year round average? No summer?
The "bleed out" through the drain is almost immeasurable compared to the heat loss by radiation and convection from the surfaces of the panel.
Do you propose to install drains in all of your outdoor panels if you get a week of mild weather and then remove them when the weather turns cold?

Seriously, I have never seen nor heard of a negative issue with drains in cold weather.
In addition to draining any water from the panel the drains also serve to equalize the pressure when either a change in atmospheric pressure or temperature creates a differential pressure.
A negative pressure inside a panel may suck water past a joint that would normally exclude water.
And the AHJ, (be it an electrical inspector or an engineering standard) may require drains regardless of the weather.
Forgive my offbeat thought processes.
When I see -40 degrees, the question that always comes to mind is:
Celsius or Fahrenheit? grin

Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[davidbeach]

Centigrade, obviously.

 

[ThePunisher]

Oh crap, I forgot to say celcius

I am at Fort MacMurray and at times the weather tends to be brutally unforgiving (with the wind chill of course)

I forgot to consider summer when the space heater tends to be off on a sunny and toasty day...as such drains are required.

Regards,

 

[Hoxton]

Hey guys ....

-40 C = - 40 F

Every Skule boy know that!

 

[stevenal]

Don't forget ventilation as well. Without a place to go, the moisture will eventually re-condense.