Automotive Plant Panels, Motors and Controls

Pick each part by the area it lives in. Dry body and assembly areas take Type 12 panels; hose-down and paint pretreatment areas take Type 4X. Machining areas with oil mist need closed-loop panel cooling, not filter fans. Below are the parts we carry for each area, with links to the specs.

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Step 1: Pick by area

Area	Panel rating	Panel cooling	Motors
Body shop, final assembly, warehouse (dry, dusty)	Type 12 steel. Hammond 1418 and 1422 wallmounts, 1485 and 1487 wireway	Pfannenberg Filterfans if the air is clean; air conditioner if it is not	TEFC TECO Westinghouse NEMA Premium; Bison fractional HP gearmotors
Paint pretreatment, wash, wet process	Type 4X: 304 stainless (Hammond) or fiberglass (Stahlin)	Stainless Pfannenberg air conditioner rated NEMA 4/4X	TECO stainless washdown, TEFC IP66
Powertrain machining (oil and coolant mist)	Type 12 or Type 13 with gasketed doors	Closed loop only: air conditioner, or heat exchanger when the shop stays cooler than the panel target	TEFC TECO motors; Tekima VFD cable on drives
Conveyors and material handling	Type 12 drive and control panels	Size cooling on drive losses (cooling guide)	TECO inverter duty motors on VFDs; Block line reactors on the drive

Ratings per NEMA 250: Type 12 keeps out circulating dust and dripping non-corrosive liquids; Type 13 adds spraying oil and coolant; Type 4X adds hose-down and corrosion resistance. Check the rating listed on each part page. See NEMA 4 vs 4X vs 12.

Step 2: Control power and protection

Need	What we carry	Where to start
480 V to 120 V control power	Micron Group A control transformers, 240 x 480 V primary, 120 V secondary, 50 VA to 5 kVA	Micron by kVA · VA sizing
600 V plants (Canada)	Micron Group E, 550/575/600 V primary, 110/115/120 V secondary, 50 to 750 VA	Micron
208 V line to a 230 V motor	Micron buck-boost, Groups A, B and C, 50 VA to 7.5 kVA	Buck-boost sizing
24 VDC control power	Block power supplies	Power supplies
Branch fusing and power distribution	Marathon Special Products Class J and Class CC fuse holders, power distribution blocks	Marathon
Terminal blocks	Wieland WTN screw and WTPN push-in terminal blocks	WTN · WTPN
Drive input and long motor leads	Block line and load reactors	Line vs load reactor · Long motor leads
Surge protection	Citel surge protective devices	Citel
Andon and machine status	Pfannenberg stack lights, beacons and sounders	Stack lights · Signaling
Cable tray and cable entry	Basor wire mesh tray; Aeros USA AGRO cable glands	Basor · Aeros USA

Replacing a part you already have?

Send the old part number. We cross Hoffman, Rittal and Saginaw enclosures, Square D, Acme, Siemens, GE, HPS, Jefferson and Sola control transformers, Bussmann fuses, MTE reactors and more. Start at the cross reference index.

Common questions

Type 12 or Type 4X for a body shop panel?

Type 12 is the usual pick for dry, dusty areas. Use Type 4X where the panel gets hosed down or sees corrosive washes, such as paint pretreatment.

Can I use filter fans on a machining line panel?

Not where there is oil or coolant mist. The filter loads up and the mist gets inside. Use a closed-loop air conditioner, or a heat exchanger when the shop air stays cooler than the panel target.

What control transformer for a 480 V conveyor panel?

A Micron Group A unit: 240 x 480 V primary, 120 V secondary. Size it on the inrush VA of the coils that pull in at once, not just the sealed VA.

What do I use in a 600 V plant?

Micron Group E control transformers, 550/575/600 V primary, 110/115/120 V secondary, 50 to 750 VA.

Can you cross the parts on our current drawings?

Yes. Send the bill of materials or the old part numbers. We send back the equivalent parts and lead times.

Get the line quoted

Send the drawings, the bill of materials or a list of part numbers. We quote the panel parts, motors and controls together.

Request a Quote Book 30 Minutes to Review the Application