CE Conformity - protective earth cable to enclosure's removable panel

[matt_sd]

Hello everyone.

I have a question that is regarding CE Conformity as CE mark is required for any product sold in Europe.

Now I know that if a panel had mains voltage, the door has to have a protective earth grounding cable to the door as if the live comes loose and touches the panel door, the breaker will trip saving someone from getting electrocuted if they touch the door.

Now we are going to mount a electric motor in an enclosure, this enclosures has a removable panel. Under CE, does this need to have a protective earth cable from the panel to the earth?
I assume it doesn't as the motor has its own terminal box and the lid of the motor terminal box would have an protective earth cable already.

Everyone agree?

Thanks

Matt

 

[Fonzie66]

As I see it the removable panel has to be grouded also.

If we assemble a switch panel witch has removable panels( eg covers for cable infeeds) we always ground every panel with 6qmm ye/gr wire directly to a common ground rail.

Brgds.

 

[rpoet]

I use the serrated mounting nuts included with the cabinets I buy to mount the sub panel to the mounting studs. Since the nuts are serrated, they bite through the powder-coat and make a solid ground connection. Also, since equipment such as drives, power supplies, and PLCs require connections to a ground, I run those to a common grounding bar attached to the side of the enclosure. This insures a star ground point and minimizes the possibility of ground loops. Doors are grounded with a wire because one can't rely on the hinge to maintain ground continuity.

As to CE cert, I'm not sure, but separately grounding the subpanel couldn't hurt. It's a belt-and-suspender approach, but the additional cost - a piece of wire and possibly a terminal lug - would be minimal.

-rpoet

 

[Sparkz]

All metal parts need to be grounded, so you will not only have to ground the enclosure but also any doors and removable panels.

 

[matt_sd]

thanks for your replies everyone,

just to confirm our situation:-
a 3 phase cable will come into the terminal box mounted on the motor, the cable is glanded at the motor terminal box. The wires are terminated at the motor terminals. The motor terminal box (that comes with the motor) has a lid that will have a protective earth once the lid is attached, there are no live conductors visable at all in the once the lid of the terminal box is sealed.

Then there is a enclosure that we will put over the motor (for acoustic reasons). This enclosure is in 2 parts, a removal top section and bottom section.

Now this looks a different situation from an electrical panel that would have live connections when the panel/enclosure is opened up. Do you know if our enclosure would require a protection earth?
Thanks

Matt

 

[leitmotif]

I would call this a mechanical cover and not an electrical cover. I do not see it much different than an access plate on a machine. Therefore it would not require bonding (grounding) to the motor driven unit framework.

However if there is any doubt it will not take that long nor that much cost to do it. I have seen cases where static problems may have been cured prevented with a simple bond.

Dan Bentler

 

[Sparkz]

It doesn't matter what's inside. All metal parts need to be grounded. BTW, how does the motor cable get to the motor in the first place? Surely it's brought into the enclosure somewhere. Imagine if something happens to the gland.

 

[matt_sd]

There is a large open slot in one side of the enclosure, the motors cable will come in there as well as some hydraulic pipes (the electric motor has a pump on it to create hydraulic power).