Prevent Downtime, Damage & Safety Risks With Smarter Choices

Choosing the right industrial electrical enclosure isn’t just a technical task — it’s a critical decision that affects safety, equipment life, regulatory compliance, and system uptime. Whether you’re an OEM, EPC, or facility manager, a misstep in selection can lead to costly failures, water ingress, electrical hazards, or repeated replacements.

Here are the 7 most common mistakes to avoid when choosing your next enclosure  and how to get it right the first time.

1. Underestimating the IP Rating Needed

Assuming IP54 or IP65 is “good enough” for harsh environments can backfire. If your system faces powerful washdowns, exposure to rain, or corrosive chemicals, you need IP66-rated enclosures at minimum. Anything less puts your internal electronics at risk.

Tip: Always assess the actual exposure to water, dust, and cleaning agents. In industries like F&B or wastewater, IP66 stainless steel is often non-negotiable.

2. Ignoring Material Compatibility

Not all metals are created equal. Using mild steel in marine, chemical, or food-grade zones can cause rust, paint peeling, and hygiene violations.

Tip: Use 304 or 316L stainless steel in corrosive or hygienic areas. Reserve powder-coated mild steel for cost-effective indoor or semi-protected zones.

3. Overlooking Thermal Management

Electronics generate heat. Combine that with a sealed enclosure, and you risk component failure or shortened lifespan due to thermal buildup.

Tip: If your application involves VFDs, PLCs, or relays, consider ventilation, fans, heat exchangers, or even passive cooling designs to keep temperatures within safe limits.

4. Choosing the Wrong Size

A tight enclosure may fit today’s setup but leave no room for future expansion, airflow, or easy maintenance.

 Tip: Always allow space for wire routing, component access, thermal dissipation, and future upgrades. Use CAD models if available to simulate fit and clearance.

5. Neglecting Certification Requirements

For export or regulated industries, missing CE, UL, ISO, or RoHS compliance can result in rejection, penalties, or even safety incidents.

Tip: Work with enclosure manufacturers (like Bartakke) who build to ISO 9001:2015 and CE-compliant standards — ensuring international reliability and approval.

6. Skipping Environmental Considerations

Don’t forget what’s outside the enclosure — UV rays, temperature swings, rodents, chemicals, or impact risk can all play a role in system failure.

Tip: Evaluate UV resistance, enclosure thickness, door gaskets, mounting security, and impact ratings (IK rating) based on your installation site.

7. Failing to Consider Customization Needs

Settling for off-the-shelf enclosures can lead to compromises in fit, cabling, safety, or serviceability — especially for complex panels or modular systems.

Tip: Choose a manufacturer that offers custom CNC cutouts, cable glands, mounting kits, and modular layouts. Custom doesn’t mean slow — especially with Bartakke’s lean manufacturing setup.

Choose Smarter With Bartakke

At Bartakke Electrofab, we help you avoid these pitfalls with precision-engineered, IP66-rated enclosures built for demanding industrial environments. With three product lines — encloPRIME, encloSHILD, and encloINOX — we offer mild steel, weatherproof, and stainless steel enclosures trusted by OEMs and EPCs across 30+ export markets.

Need Help Selecting the Right Enclosure?

Tell us your environment and application — our enclosure experts will recommend a solution that meets your performance, safety, and compliance needs.