IP Rated, Ingress Protected, and NZ U.V Resistant. 

Switchboards Constructed using the Cubo P System:
The Cubo P switchboards are IP65 and IK08, which can withstand waterblasting, impacts and being exposed to the NZ UV. Because Cubo P is a customisable system, switchboards can be made to suit many farm control applications from pump controls & changeover switches, to outdoor metering & distribution.  

• Base Materials: 3mm fibreglass reinforced polycarbonate
• Cover materials: 3mm full polycarbonate construction 
• Accessories hinges & latches etc: Non-metallic parts are polycarbonate
• Designs can be customised to suit. 

PolyBox Farm control switchboard.
IP69 & IK10 makes this polycarbonate switchboard extremley durable in exposed, high-impact, or high use areas. The gear tray, or masking panel can be mounted at any height which provides extra space behind for wiring and for any controls that dont need to be accessed. This size PolyBox can also be used to house  8 ways of distribution & metering.

• Base and cover materials: 4mm Polycarbonate
• Accessories hinges & latches etc: Non-metallic hinges and latches are polycarbonate
• Customisable options for inlets, outlets, plugs, controls and generator connections. 

One of the best locations we have seen for a switchboard!

Set in the stunning hills of the Waikato, this PolyBox switchboard, as part of the farm electrification project, provides extreme impact, ingress, and NZ U.V protection for the electric fence system. Features include corner elevators which allows the gear tray to be mounted at any height, making this a simple, yet effective solution.

Not only do PolyBoxes have outstanding impact resistance, they can be customised to accommodate plugs, outlets, timers and pump controls suitable for farm applications and everyday use.  

All PolyBox enclosures come with:

• x4 Polycarbonate mounting feet
• x4 Corner elevators
• Set of screws for din rails etc
• screw cover caps for cover

ADA3-GPC - 700H x 600W x 132D Outdoor 3ph meter, 100A main switch isolator. This switchboard needed to include the following:  •    2 x 63A, 3ph MCBs, plus space for one extra •    Studded E/N bar •    Tails from main switch to meter •    Need extra room for incomers. Its square, concise and room for one more.  ADA3-GPC - 100A, 12way meter & distribution

ADA3-100FM - 600H x 600W x 132D This configuration can take up to a 3ph meter and 100A main switch isolator. The most common request for this code is as below: Main switch on din-rail Up to 24 ways of distribution E/N bar to suit IP rated Still need access to distribution, and need to read the meter. Flat sides to be able to semi-recess Anymore boxes to tick? The bottom din-rail can be removed to make it easier to terminate incomers and for ease of wiring. ADA3-100FM - 100A, 24way meter & distribution

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ADA3-63CM - 600H x 300W x 185D Is this maybe just the right design and style?   63A main switch with space for 9 extra ways. Room for a 3ph meter, and a lockable option for the door. Definitely IP rated & perhaps a little understated. ADA3-63CM -63A, 12way meter & distribution

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ADA4-LTP - 300H x 600W x 132D How do they fit everything in?   Well, if you only need 9 ways and a 1ph meter, then this is all you need! 1 x 300mmL din rail for distribution & E/N bar 1 x Din-rail mounted E/N bar 1 x Din-rail with slide nuts for meter 1 x PVC masking panel This was originally built as an IP rated temporary power box, and its still in use. ADA4-LTP - 63A, 8way meter & distribution

While we have given you a couple of outdoor residential switchboards to look at, the options and configurations while using the Cubo P System doesn't stop. If you want to change or add to the coded switchboards above, or if you require a series of switchboards for your project, please send us an email with what you need, and we will get right back to you.

Palmy’s brand new ‘Splashpad’ opened at the end of last year, and has been packed with kids ever since

(Who said the weather’s always awful here?) The whole system works using a reticulated water supply. Draining the water from the pad, chlorinating it then squirting it back out again.

This was a neat little project to be a part of, and shows the versatility of our Cubo P system. With the clip together modules, we were able to provide a chemical resistant, IP65, switchboard with plenty of room for equipment and cabling. 

This system is perfect for switchboards in harsher environments or damp areas. This switchboard was designed and built by our workshop team, but we also provide this system as a kitset solution for electricians installing or upgrading all sorts of pump stations, irrigation systems, cowsheds, and even exterior meterboards. See out casesutdies or Engineered Solutions to see more. 

Each site has unique needs and specifications, so please contact us for a discussion around your requirements, and one of the team will be able to guide you through the whole system. 

	Veiw  Full Casestudy

In this Edition: 

Engineerd Solutions 

Pump Control Station

According to data released by Colgate last month around 10% of New Zealanders will go a whole week without brushing, but we guarantee they clean and monitor their switchboards even less.

Tucked away and undermaintained, old switchboards are the cause of a lot of fires throughout New Zealand.
We have all seen switchboards that look like the one above, with typical asbestos panel, bakelite isolator, and a hodgepodge of fuses, MCBs, and RCDs from every era of electrical equipment.

And, another random fact: Switchboards are kinda like teeth, you don't really notice them when they are working fine but when something goes wrong, you wish you had paid a bit more attention earlier!

Please check out the cabinet tick sheets to go about selecting which option you need. Tick sheets are downloadable off the light commercial product pages. 

Light commercial standard switchboard range 

24W Dinrail UCPF350C Need a geartray instead? please use code: UCPF350M

UCPF350C / UCPF350M controls or meter cabinet

This cabinet can be bolted and bushed to the top or bottom of another LC cabinet, making it a meter and distribution switchboard.

500H x 525W x 160D 4TP PAN to 8TP PAN or, 2 x 24W din rails Multiclip Comb bar Just rails Gland Plates & E/N bars to suit 63A to 125A main switch (100A as default) MCBs & RCBOS are available as extra.

500H x 525W x 160D Light commercial cabinet 

This cabinet can accommodate din rails, a standard pan assembly, and a main switch or include a comb bar or Multiclip with the din rails.

650H x 525W x 160D 8TP PAN to 12TP PAN or, 3 x 24W din rails Multiclip Comb bar Just rails Gland Plates & E/N bars to suit 63A to 125A main switch (100A as default) MCBs & RCBOS available as extra.

650H x 525W x 160D Light commercial cabinet

This cabinet can accommodate din rails, a standard pan assembly, and a main switch or include a comb bar or Multiclip with the din rails.

1000H x 525W x 160D 14TP PAN to 24TP PAN or, 4 x 24W din rails Multiclip Comb bar Just rails Gland Plates & E/N bars to suit 63A to 125A main switch (100A as default) MCBs & RCBOS available as extra.  5 x din rails can be added, but this can reduce space

1000H x 525W x 160D Light commercial cabinet 

 Coded Kiosks:

AOT1074030LK - 1070H x 400W x 550D Originally designed to house traffic and street lighting control boards for a regional council. This has even proved to be the perfect size for a generator connection pillar, 12-way distribution &  metering box for campgrounds, or to house a series of outlets for council maintenance work.

AOT1074030LK - Outdoor kiosk up to 12W

RB1077030LK - 1070H x 700W x 550D Need something a bit wider to fit more ways? How about room for 48 ways plus space for incomers and E/N bars? And, if you can manage the incomers, you can add another din rail if extra ways are required. Small, compact and can be hidden in plain sight.

RB1077030LK - Outdoor kiosk up to 48W

PNC151150 - 1150H x 1100W x 550D Where it all began, the OG of our coded kiosks. Certainly the most commonly requested size - you don't get a great grey bunker, nor do you get one that is attractive to tampering and leaning over more than you would like. Comfortably fits small to medium switchboards with controls, distribution and metering. Also caters for outdoor farm distribution and changeover switches.

PNC151150 - Kiosk for roadside pump station

PNC171550LHF - 1596H x 1705W x 550D Want a more of a garden shed size, but not so big things can get miss-placed? This size gave more room for council pump controls, two-door easy access and an access flap on the left-hand side. Still solid and weatherproof.

PNC171550LHF - Large pump & controls kiosk

We have designed and built iterations of the OG design to allow room for bigger or more specialized switchboards. If you need a different size kiosk or want to look at options, please send us an email with a list of what is required.

We have released some of these boards out into the wild and the feedback from sparkies has been really positive.

Are you tired of flimsy, rusted, and leaky temporary power or meter boards? emf’s ADAPT kitset range saves electricians time on site and will outperform steel enclosures in durability and weather proofing.

These enclosures are fully customizable and can be provided as a kitset or a fully wired switchboard. We have all seen builder’s temps hanging open in the pouring rain, but with the outlets on the exterior, you don’t ever need to open the door. In fact, you can even padlock it shut.

Some electricians are installing these on front fences, in gardens, or on a power pole, so that the temporary power becomes the MEN switchboard once the building is complete. This saves time and money on mains install and provides outdoor power for the homeowner.

The polycarbonate exterior means these enclosures are double insulated, so even if the temporary power is backed over, or squished you won’t liven up the case. Polycarbonate is also more durable than steel, won't rust, and is less susceptible to dents. 

Temporary Power Boards

Campground Distribution

And PolyBox is the Name....

Ensto's polycarbonate PolyBox range has been used worldwide in the most demanding onshore and off-shore applications, including pump controllers installed at a fire training facility. The polycarbonate composition means it is NZ UV stable and doesn't sustain a flame should it be exposed to an open flame. 

With its IP69 rating and IK10 durability, these enclosures are a no-brainer in any situation where there is likely to be some rough stuff thrown at them. 

We used a transparent cover with snap latches for this site, so that the operators can view the status of the pumps without having to open the door. These are also lockable, so that only authorized personnel can operate them. 

Perfectly suited for the job, with rugged good looks just like the team who built them (maybe!?)

Enclosure code: UPCT080604HML
IP Rating: IP69
IK Rating: IK10
Inner Depth:  105 mm (4.13 in)
4mm wall thickness as standard
County of Origin: Finland 
Code: ADA5-5PB

ADA5-5PB

There are the ones held shut with insulation tape, the ones with no window, the ones with rodent tenants, and ones that make you say......(well, it's probably best we don't publish that!)

The team here has come up with a new 300x600mm compact meter panel and DB. With flat sides, it can be easily flushed into walls, as well as the standard surface mounting. There is plenty of space to terminate your neutral screen mains cable and a hinging, smoke-tinted door to keep everything out of the weather.

With 12 ways of distribution, these are perfect for farm meter panels with the house and shed submains or for smaller properties with few circuits. These have proved very handy on jobs where the old ‘asbestos’ fuse panels have been condemned and a simple upgrade is required. The enclosures are all UV Stable polycarbonate, and rated at IP65 – so no moisture and gunk and definitely not a mouse house!

These come standard in “Polycarbonate Enclosure” grey, but we can prime and paint these to blend right in with the building.

300 x 600 x 132mm Meter & Distribution. 

Farming has definitely evolved over the past 100 years. 
We all hark back to the Old MacDonald’s of yesteryear in their ¾ ton trucks, manual milking sheds, and those cool old single cylinder engine water pumps, complete with all the animal sounds we used to sing. Somehow we don’t think “Old Macdonald had a fully-integrated-agricultural-produce-manufacturing-facility, E, I, E, I, O,"  has the same folksy ring to it. (try singing that to junior tonight)

However, when it comes to electricity on a farm, these days, it’s important that power is being distributed as it should. There’s still a lot of state-of-the-art farm machinery hanging off 40 year old fuse boards, and if these fail, things can go pear-shaped really quick. 

We’ve come up with a few designs that are often called on to help upgrade some of the more “elderly” farm DBs.

Cubo P is an economical IP65 switchboard building system which can be customized to fit almost any requirements, and provide a tidy, safe solution in harsh or wet environments.
We also have designs for modular series cowshed switchboards for 100-250A applications. 

The switchboard pictured above replaced, upgraded and consolidated the existing controls and meter panel into one safe, roomy, and durable switchboard. Made from the Cubo P panel building system, this polycarbonate switchboard is IP65 and impact resistant. Making it the perfect design for farm applications.  

The switchboards in the design are the ones we frequently get asked about. However, we know that each switchboard application is different and are able to create a design especially for you. (We’re nice like that!). 

See more Cubo P applications

The only real difference is that this probably won't fit in your pocket. 

Small, Sturdy, and very Versatile. 
The only real difference is that this probably won't fit in your pocket. 
However, this 200 x 200 x 132mm polycarbonate enclosure (with a 5mm thick base) will get you through nearly anything, from a small soft starter to a mains entry box. 
 
What makes this enclosure so versatile?

• Small, but not undersized for smaller projects. 
• IP67 & IK08 
• NZ UV Resistant. 
• Easier to drill and gland without cracking compared to other composites and thicknesses. 
• Smooth flat sides makes it easy to semi-recess
• Separate mounting holes from internal enclosure space
• Optional gear tray or din rail
• Plenty of enclosure accessories.

CUBO O

200 x 200 x 132/185mm

in transparent or grey cover.

OPCP2020013T - Transparent 
OPCP2020013G - Grey 

OPCP2020018T - Transparent 
OPCP2020018G - Grey

See full Cubo O Range

And a Melty Polycarbonate Box...

Sparkie: "I'd rather use stainless steel, it's more hard-wearing and robust than polycarb".

Ensto Cubo D: "Hold my beer"

This enclosure was found, still screwed to a wall after a severe dairy shed fire. Not only was the enclosure still structurally sound, it was still waterproof and had protected the internal components much better than expected. This illustrates another important advantage over stainless steel, which can buckle under extreme heat causing the seals to be compromised.
Although this enclosure may look like an industrial-style campfire marshmallow now, but it did the job it was asked to!

The Thermoplastic Polycarbonate composition of this enclosure meant it would eventually melt but wouldn't sustain a flame. For more industrial plastic insights, click the button below.

Industrial Plastics

• Compliant to ASNZS3012 Temporary Supply Regulations.
• NZ UV resistant enclosure.
• 4mm Polycarbonate that will flex rather than dent (you can't be too careful with builders around!)
• Outdoor outlets/inlets of your configuration.
• Single or three phase options.
• Padlockable Snap latch, Padlockable Hinged Fixed Cover, or Fixed cover. 
• 5 year or 5 sites wear and tear, repair, or replace warranty.

every emf team member ever..

Yep, one of the team here actually said that.
It's fair to say that the emf team is more passionate about switchboards than is probably rational.
Switchboards and enclosures are what we do - all day, every day.
We get that most people aren't wired that way, and that some of the terms, specifications, and products we deal with on a daily basis, are foreign to a lot of you.

For this month's Electric Post, we have answered the most common questions we get asked for you normal people who don't eat, sleep, and breathe electrical switchboards.
Even though you should.
Switchboards are the lynchpin of industry after all. 

The Newbie: Multiclip, what do they do and how do they work? 
The Schneider Multiclip distribution system is a terminal block that allows the mounting of MCBs and RCBOs on the same dinrail. As more installations are requiring a mix of RCBOs and MCBs this system saves space and is more versatile than the traditional PAN Assemblies. 

The Custom Guy: I need something odd... What can you do?
With our CNC routers, laser engravers and plotter label printers, we can provide quick turnaround on a wide range of shields, engraved labels, and panels. Our equipment allows us to make all kinds of shapes and sizes including guitar pickguards and motorbike cylinder gasket extensions! 

The Ag Sparkie: What would you recommend for a basic outdoor distribution board? 
If you don’t want your board to fall to bits, your best bet is polycarbonate – it is lightweight and easy to work with, but still more than capable of handling anything the weather and UV can throw at it. emf’s Cubo P range comes with tinted transparent DB doors to further protect the MCB fronts from UV exposure. The last thing you want is a board full of MCBs that the ratings have faded off!

The you-probably-don't-but...Do you have options for waterproof plug boards? 
Short Answer - Yep!
emf ADAPT manufactures a range of IP65-69 plugboards for a range of applications. We also have simple templates for PDL 56 series single and double units, and Cee-Type outlets if you want to mount and wire your own.

The Mistaken: Don’t all plastic boxes break down in the sun? 
Well, not all plastic enclosures are recommended to be mounted outdoors in the NZ sun, but high-quality polycarbonate is more than capable of withstanding the harsh NZ sun. The cheaper mainstream enclosure materials like ABS, Fibreglass, Styrene, etc. start breaking down within 2 years of exposure to the elements.

Got other questions?
Please get in touch!
There’s no such thing as a dumb one, and our team are very happy to discuss all things switchboards.
(Sometimes too happy - apparently, no one at a wedding really wants to know about power factor correction!)