Comparison of Indoor Rated Enclosures

Provides a degree of protection against the following conditions:	Type of Enclosure
	1	4	4X	7	12
Incidental contact with enclosed equipment	X	X	X	X	X
Falling dirt	X	X	X	X	X
Falling liquids and light splashing		X	X	X	X
Dust, lint, and fibers		X	X	X	X
Hosedown (hose directed water)		X	X	X
Oil and coolant seepage				X	X
Corrosive agents			X	X
Potentially explosive gas-air mixture				X
Windblown dust		X	X

Comparison of Outdoor Rated Enclosures

Provides a degree of protection against the following conditions:	Type of Enclosure
	3	3R	4	4X
Incidental contact with enclosed equipment	X	X	X	X
Rain, snow and sleet	X	X	X	X
Windblown dust	X		X	X
Hosedown (hose-directed water)			X	X
Corrosive agents				X

• Type 1 – General Purpose Enclosuresare intended for indoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against contact with the enclosed equipment in locations where unusual service conditions do not exist.
  
• Type 3 – Weather Resistant & Windblown Dust Resistant Enclosuresare intended for outdoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against windblown dust, rain, and sleet; and to be undamaged by the formation of ice on the enclosure.
  
• Type 3R – Weather Resistant Enclosuresare intended for outdoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against falling rain and sleet, and to be undamaged by the formation of ice on the enclosure.

• Type 4 – Moisture & Windblown Dust Resistant Enclosuresare intended for indoor or outdoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against windblown dust and rain, splashing water, and hose-directed water; and to be undamaged by the formation of ice on the enclosure.
  
• Type 4X – Moisture & Corrosion Resistant Enclosuresare intended for indoor or outdoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against corrosion, windblown dust and rain, splashing water, and hose- directed water; and to be undamaged by the formation of ice on the enclosure.

• Type 7 – Explosion Resistant Enclosuresare capable of withstanding the pressures resulting from an internal explosion of specified gas, and containing such an explosion sufficiently that an explosive gas-air mixture existing in the atmosphere surrounding the enclosure will not be ignited.
  
• Type 12 – Resistant to Dirt & Dripping Non-Corrosive Liquids Enclosuresare intended for indoor use primarily to provide a degree of protection against dust, falling dirt, and dripping non-corrosive liquids.