Drilling at ex panel

Dear all,
Is there any standard or any way to drill in an ex panel to add a new componant without making this panel not ex.

What is ex?

Explosion proof

https://www.automation.com/library/...hazardous-areas-understanding-the-differences

depends what you are trying to do............

Think about it. Let's say you have an ATEX panel in a, for example, flameproof enclosure. Even a small scratch between the openings will make the enclosure very much NOT flameproof.
Drilling a whole in it is certainly not going to make it more flameproof.


But what is the protection principle of the panel?

As stated, it depends on what you are trying to do...

What exactly is that?

The panel rating is class I division 2 group C&D

If you aren't sure of what you do with xproof stuff, you may better get it done by certified company. Usually any function change that you makes to a certified control panel will usually cancel that certification.

Things are probably a bit different for European rules but usually holes are factory made to customer request. We do it on machining equipment.
I'm not the machinist but i expect you need it straight and the hole size must respect what is needed for the thread pitch and size to be taped in with the proper tap. I would be afraid seeing someone trying to do it with a standard hand drill.....(It isn't not like a hole in a 14gage steel plate where the connector pass thru and you secure it with a nut....)

There is other things to look for also, the part screwed there must meet the same requirements. You also need to know if you are feeding device in the xproof zone where you could need some added safety method of protection...

I forgot what the material was call but we use to pack it around all the entry points it was also fire rated and we had positive pressure in all the cabinets

Are you just installing it or doing mod's in a working cabinet ?

geniusintraining said:

I forgot what the material was call but we use to pack it around all the entry points it was also fire rated and we had positive pressure in all the cabinets

Click to expand...

Rox Blocks from Roxtec?

If the panel or junction box is flameproof (Exd), you can't touch it and need to maintain it in its original state.

If the panel or junction box is non-sparking type (Exe), you may open a whole if the box was made and certified for that hole.
It is fairly common, for example, in Hawke boxes that it only comes with 2 holes opened, but there are marked holes on the other two faces that can be opened (according to the manual) and used with the correct protections for the area/circuits.

Seen as you are unsure, I wouldn't touch it and just get someone that knows about this sort of thing to solve this issue.

cardosocea said:

Rox Blocks from Roxtec?

If the panel or junction box is flameproof (Exd), you can't touch it and need to maintain it in its original state.

Click to expand...

May have been, its been about 10 years, when it comes to EX they are all case by case, ours was a little overkill but whatever we only had a few fires

But... we had both a fire proof barriers that were sealed and purged and EX cabinets that were sealed and purged, but I agree when it comes to this stuff at minimum hire a firm to come in a tell you what you need to do to stay safe. We also had our signal wire fused so it could not arc, it was a pain to work on.

geniusintraining said:

but I agree when it comes to this stuff at minimum hire a firm to come in a tell you what you need to do to stay safe.

Click to expand...

Short of levels 1-4 I think COMPEX hasn't quite taken off in the US but level 12 is, although an immense amount of information to digest, very good at understanding all the little complexities of hazardous area equipment.



It also helps if the guy or guys giving the course happen to write and contribute to the standards...

For the OP... I know your not in the US but, here is some reading material

HERE

Im sure its covered but 900 pages of fine print is a lot to read