24-Way Metal Distribution Board

Name: 24-Way Metal Distribution Board
SKU: ELE-0082

Product type	Metal distribution board
Ways	24
Material	Metal

Choosing and specifying this item

The incoming arrangement is the real decision

At twenty-four outgoing ways the assembly sits close to the point where a panelboard becomes the more appropriate answer, and it is the incomer that settles which way you go. Establish the prospective short-circuit current at that position in the installation, the incoming device type - main switch, isolator or moulded case circuit breaker - and how discrimination with the upstream device will be achieved. Those determine the assembly type, not the way count. Confirm what incoming arrangement the enclosure is built to accept, and how much cable termination space sits behind it.

Weight, fixing and access

Fully populated and cabled, a sheet steel board of this size is a serious load on a partition. Confirm the substrate and the fixing method, or specify a floor plinth or stand. Allow the working clearance in front of the board that the site rules require, and check the door swing against the room layout before the position is frozen on the drawings.

Also confirm

Rated voltage and phase arrangement, the ingress protection for the room, top or bottom cable entry, whether a separate incomer or metering compartment is needed, and whether the offer covers the empty enclosure or an assembled board with a fitted circuit schedule.

Other options in this family are listed under Metal Distribution Boards & Electrical Enclosures, Electrical. Further detail: Switches, Sockets and Wiring Accessories: Specifying Beyond Appearance.

Frequently asked questions

At this size, should I be asking for a panelboard instead?

It depends on the incoming device and the fault level rather than on the number of outgoing ways. Where the incomer is a moulded case device, where discrimination with the upstream protection has to be demonstrated, or where the assembly needs a defined form of internal separation, a panelboard is normally the right route. Set out those requirements in the enquiry and let them decide the assembly type.

What determines the incoming device for a board with this many circuits?

The total connected load with diversity applied, the size and length of the incoming cable, the prospective short-circuit current at that point, and the discrimination required with the device feeding it. None of that follows from the way count. Provide the upstream device details and the supply arrangement with the enquiry so the incoming arrangement can be confirmed against the enclosure.

How should a board of this size be fixed?

Confirm the wall construction first. A fully loaded and cabled sheet steel board is heavy, and blockwork, concrete and lightweight partitions each need different fixings; a stud partition may need a backing plate or noggings, or the board may sit better on a floor plinth. Confirm the fixing centres and the enclosure's mounting arrangement before the wall is closed up.

Does the offer cover assembly and testing, or the enclosure only?

State clearly which you need, because the two scopes differ substantially. An enclosure-only supply leaves device fitting, busbar work, wiring, labelling and any assembly verification to the installer. An assembled board should arrive with devices fitted, the circuit schedule mounted and the assembly checks the project calls for completed. Specify which you want, and any documentation required, in the enquiry.