Question: Hello. We have a number of routers and switches in a warehouse, a dusty environment. We also get a lot of cottonwood seeds blowing in during the spring. Would this rack keep dust and seeds out of the equipment?
Answer: Thank you for your inquiry. This rack has been independently tested and verified to meet NEMA 12 standards. The NEMA Type 12 standard states: "Enclosures constructed (without knockouts) for indoor use to provide a degree of protection to personnel against access to hazardous parts; to provide a degree of protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against ingress of solid foreign objects (falling dirt and circulating dust, lint, fibers, and flyings); and to provide a degree of protection with respect to harmful effects on the equipment due to the ingress of water (dripping and light splashing)."
The operating terms here are "provide a degree of protection". A NEMA 12 rack is not dust proof, but dust resistant. Outside of a customized/specialty rack the NEMA 12 standard is about the best rating in terms of dust and water resistance out there. (of course this is also dependent on how cable access and airflow is handled in the environment)
To get a better idea of how the rack looks, here is a link to a dimensional drawing:
http://www.werackyourworld.com/assets/PartFiles/I008440-Nema12K.pdf
Also note the optional fan and filters:
http://www.server-rack-online.com/ffkn12-a4.html
If you would like to discuss your project in greater detail, please feel free to contact your server Racks online representative directly at 1-866-722-5776 or via our online chat feature.
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