I'm building a HERMS system and thought I would share some thoughts. I took my time and was very patient while searching for good deals and one day an offer too good to refuse presented itself on ebay. I picked up a new-in-box Weigmann brand 10"x12"x5" NEMA 4X steel enclosure (with an inside panel and hinged door) for $35 shipped. This thing sells for no less than $130 online.
I was very pleased with myself for having scored such a good enclosure for such a good price.
But.......
Now I have to work with that thing, and the steel is 1/8" thick. I don't know if you've ever spent time cutting through 1/8" thick steel, but it ain't exactly easy or quick with common tools. I can pretty easily DRILL through it (stepping up a little at a time). A 1/2" hole through it takes just a couple minutes. Easy as pie.
Cutting big 2 1/8" holes for my output receptacles was a chore. Lots of time, pressure, cutting oil, and a big hole saw. I had to take a few breaks to let my drill cool off, but I got it done. While doing this, I started to get pretty damn concerned about what lay ahead for me.
Cutting square or rectanglular holes in that f*cker is not fun. The PID needs a square hole, and it has to be a pretty clean one, so brute force and sloppy lines is not an option. A little finesse is in order. I'll get it done because I really have few options, but I am starting to reconsider all of the switches I bought that need to be installed. They are all rectangular in shape with a very small lip around the front to keep them from going all the way through the panel holes, but the lips on them are very very very small.
This means I have a good bit more straight-line cutting, with very clean and precise lines.
I am seriously considering cutting my losses on the switches re-ordering round ones that I can just install in drilled holes. This will save me hours of work and be less prone to error.
So... sorry for being long winded... but if you are considering building a control box for a HERMS or RIMS or just a box for the controls of an electric kettle, think about what you are buying, how you will cut and or drill it, and what you will have to actually install through the walls of the thing.
If my box were made of plastic, I think I would already be done with everything.
I was very pleased with myself for having scored such a good enclosure for such a good price.
But.......
Now I have to work with that thing, and the steel is 1/8" thick. I don't know if you've ever spent time cutting through 1/8" thick steel, but it ain't exactly easy or quick with common tools. I can pretty easily DRILL through it (stepping up a little at a time). A 1/2" hole through it takes just a couple minutes. Easy as pie.
Cutting big 2 1/8" holes for my output receptacles was a chore. Lots of time, pressure, cutting oil, and a big hole saw. I had to take a few breaks to let my drill cool off, but I got it done. While doing this, I started to get pretty damn concerned about what lay ahead for me.
Cutting square or rectanglular holes in that f*cker is not fun. The PID needs a square hole, and it has to be a pretty clean one, so brute force and sloppy lines is not an option. A little finesse is in order. I'll get it done because I really have few options, but I am starting to reconsider all of the switches I bought that need to be installed. They are all rectangular in shape with a very small lip around the front to keep them from going all the way through the panel holes, but the lips on them are very very very small.
This means I have a good bit more straight-line cutting, with very clean and precise lines.
I am seriously considering cutting my losses on the switches re-ordering round ones that I can just install in drilled holes. This will save me hours of work and be less prone to error.
So... sorry for being long winded... but if you are considering building a control box for a HERMS or RIMS or just a box for the controls of an electric kettle, think about what you are buying, how you will cut and or drill it, and what you will have to actually install through the walls of the thing.
If my box were made of plastic, I think I would already be done with everything.