For domestic, business, commercial, and structural use, uninterrupted and trustworthy electricity distribution is crucial in the modern world. Circuits and panel boards are in charge of the highly controlled electricity network inside an installation at the customer side of the electricity supply chain.
They are also in charge of the security of the employees. Because of this, many people say that panel boards keep the electrical system intact. A panel board resembles a switchboard in structure and often consists of a “can” and other common interior parts. An anchoring framework for the panel board is provided by the “can,” which is essentially the mounting framework holding the electrical parts together.
What is the Importance of Panel Boards Today?
- The ability to “selectively trip” circuit breakers is among the key benefits of using panelboards in domestic, business, and other settings. This feature is made possible by the branching circuitry of the equipment.
Partial tripping enables the isolating and closure of the specific faulty branch circuit without tripping the overall system. This is especially important in the case of a production facility or data centre when downtime for equipment can have a significant negative impact on productivity.
- In terms of electrical failures, panel boards also play a key role in worker safety. These ensure worker safety by shutting off the electricity during a short circuit or overload. In addition, because of new advancements in circuit breaker technology, panelboards can help safeguard employees from the risk of flaring faults, like spark blasts.
Although it might not seem important, such incidents lead to multiple hospitalisation cases each year. In addition, some contemporary boards have now been built to endure and control explosions, which is an additional benefit in the case of a major flaw.
What is the Difference Between a Panel Board and Switchboard?
Panel boards and switchboards in an electricity distribution system offer similar functions. Usually, flush installed, or surface installed, panelboards can only accept incoming electricity up to 1,200 amperes.
Like panelboards, switchboards are independent, front-connected devices that only need access from the front. Switchboards can, however, provide access from the front and the back if ever needed. In addition, they can accept electricity up to 5,000 amperes as well.
What are the Different Kinds of Panel Boards?
Here are a few types of panel boards available in the market:
- Branch Circuits Panel Boards
These provide integrated power management for some, or even all, of the branch circuits in addition to the primary incoming power to the panel board. In office buildings, branch circuit surveillance panelboards are frequently used to monitor shared loads and specific loads for tenant invoicing or to satisfy new power compliance standards. A branch circuit track is frequently used in commercial and data processing settings.
- Fusible Panel Boards
These are intended for commercial, corporate, or institutional applications that require the selective coordinating standards of having very high faulty currents. Various fuses are available that quickly and simply coordinate with a range of fuses or circuit breakers selectively.
- Lightning Check Panel Boards
These specialist panel boards can manage lighting and circuit breaker overload protection safety all in one small system. A digital regulator can be configured with the necessary plans and/or trigger signals. It can also pass-through command signals produced by other systems, such as building automation or SCADA system.
You can select the circuits you wish to control to reduce costs by not having to control every circuit, as with the branch circuit panel board. This is frequently used to regulate lighting at distant sheds and sports facilities or to adhere to regional power codes.
Get the Best Grade Panel Boards
Selecting the right kind of panel boards can ensure long-term financial savings and risk avoidance. To cut costs and prevent long-term issues, it is essential to carefully analyse and investigate your options when choosing the ideal one. To identify the exact partner for your needs, we advise exploring various brands before settling on a particular one!