Quick electrical type question on contactor

[Jim O'Dell]

I need to replace an outside electrical box for a contactor, 220 volt. Can this be a sealed grey plastic box? Or should it be a metal box? I didn't know if the contactor could be in a waterproof box or not, and if it creates any heat that needs to be disipated. Thanks! Jim.

[John Gregory]

Jim, I am NOT as expert as some on this forum, but I think any outdoor plug needs to be water resistant. Metal or plastic would satisfy that. However in my experience I hate the plastic ones, they are way less durable and discolor in the weather and sun. And the plug should not produce any amount of dangerous heat. The only times I have seen a cord or plug produce a dangerous level of heat, is when the wire gauge was not the correct size for the load. Such as running a room heater on a 18 gauge extension cord.

Just my 2 cents.

[Jim O'Dell]

Thanks John. We're thinking alike! :D This will not be visable as it's outside the fence. I can't imagine that a contactor would create heat, but I'm not the authority in this field.
Thanks again for the note. Jim.

[Rob Russell]

Jim,

You probably want a NEMA 4 rated enclosure. That level of protection pretty much means your contactor won't get wet, regardless of what weather or hose-washing hits the enclosure. Here's a link to a NEMA Enclosure Types (http://www.nema.org/prod/be/enclosures/upload/NEMA_Enclosure_Types_11-05-2.doc) document.

I'd agree that metal resists sunlight better than plastic, although you might find that the cost of the plastic is such that you could put in a plastic one now and replace it down the road for less than the cost of a metal one.

Rob

[Jim O'Dell]

As always Rob, the answers and the information to back it up. Thanks! Jim.