Dear Steve,

That’s an excellent question. To address your query about our testing procedures for fire-resistant enclosures, we utilise both the UL 94 test, established by the U.S. Underwriters Laboratories (UL), and the European DIN 4102 part 12 standard. These help assess the burning behaviour of plastics and the fire resistance of electrical installations, ensuring they maintain functionality during a fire.

The UL 94 test involves rigorous assessments to determine how materials, particularly plastics, react to fire. It includes methods like horizontal and vertical burning tests, which classify materials based on their ability to resist and self-extinguish flames. On the other hand, the DIN 4102 part 12 standard focuses more on the overall fire resistance of electrical installation systems. It evaluates how these can withstand and function in extreme heat and fire conditions, which is vital for safety in emergency situations.

Regarding their applications, these fire-resistant enclosures, particularly our WKE range [https://www.spelsberg.co.uk/fire-protection-cable-boxes/], are crucial in ensuring the safe, continuing function of electrical systems during fires. Because they’re made of durable thermoset plastic, the WKE series can help ensure unaffected operations of the electrical equipment within for 30 to 90 minutes (E30-E90). This makes them highly suitable for critical applications like maintaining operational emergency lighting, smoke extractor systems, and other vital safety components in escape and rescue routes during a fire.

More information on our fire-resistance range can be found in our electrical functional integrity WKE and WKE 2-6 brochures, which you can download at https://www.spelsberg.co.uk/service/info-request/. If you have any additional question on a specific application, feel free to contact me directly.

Regards,

Chris