Where to buy enclosure from

[Nick Barton-Wells]

Hi all

I am looking at buying an enclosure for my loxone install. Is there any recommendations on where to buy from?

Thanks

Nick 

[Scott F]

https://www.futureautomation.co.uk/Enclosure/Loxone-Lighting-Enclosure

[SavvySpaces - Loxone Web Shop]



Hi,

Largely depends on what is going in it and your route to final compliance. 

If you don’t care or you just want a basic din rail box you might use Future Automation and try to self certify once complete.

If you want an arguably easier route to compliance and a flexible build then look at Eldon MAS or Schneider enclosures and build what you need. 

You can buy either from the internet. 

I’d avoid the ebay offerings, the internal trunkings for wiring on all I have seen are woefully inadequate. 

No 1 rule is know whats going in it before you start, virtually all pre built enclosures have serious deficiencies that limit their installation possibilities. 

If it is going in a house probably better to keep your consumer unit separate unless you know exactly what you're doing.

If you provide a bit more detail we can probably help a bit more. 

Cheers

Martyn

On 21 Feb 2025, at 21:44, Nick Barton-Wells <nick....@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi all

I am looking at buying an enclosure for my loxone install. Is there any recommendations on where to buy from?

Thanks

Nick 

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[Scott F]

Another option you have is something similar to what i have done but like Martyn mentioned you need to know what is going in there first. I actually went with a data rack https://www.rackcabinets.co.uk/collections/free-standing-data-cabinets/products/12u-free-standing-data-cabinet-800-x-800 and then installed DIN rail chassais panels https://www.network-cabs.co.uk/accessories/din-rail-products but to do this you cannot have any of the circuit protection in there. All of my circuit protection is in my main consumer unit and locally i just have  rackmount PDU's feeding the various power supplies. I put 2 of these data racks side by side with one housing all of my networkign equipment and a UPS and the other with the main Loxone equipment on the front side and then all of the audioserver equipment on the back side. I pre planned all of my racks and did all of the electrical schematics ahead of time and when i knew what i needed there i used the Weidmueller configurator software to build the DIN rails for all of the terminal blocks that would be required which made life really easy as you can lable it all and then send it to your local Weidmueller dealer who can build the terminal block rails for you otherwise to buy all the individual components for a single project is a nightmare because they come in minimum purchase quantities of rather large volumes. I actually cound the cost of buying the pre made terminal rails quite reasonable and the cost of all the PSU's was actually cheaper per unit that way than if i had bought them all individually elsewhere.

[SavvySpaces - Loxone Web Shop]

Seen a few of the network rack installs, they seemed popular in the early days, mainly I think because Cat cable was ‘promoted’ for the wiring which lead to network cabs. 

Major limitation of only ever being suitable for Audio kit, non starter for anything mains wired/lighting/dimmers etc, just too far outside anything that could be certified or insured. 

Cheers

Martyn

On 21 Feb 2025, at 23:35, 'Scott F' via Loxone English <loxone-...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Another option you have is something similar to what i have done but like Martyn mentioned you need to know what is going in there first. I actually went with a data rack https://www.rackcabinets.co.uk/collections/free-standing-data-cabinets/products/12u-free-standing-data-cabinet-800-x-800 and then installed DIN rail chassais panels https://www.network-cabs.co.uk/accessories/din-rail-products but to do this you cannot have any of the circuit protection in there. All of my circuit protection is in my main consumer unit and locally i just have  rackmount PDU's feeding the various power supplies. I put 2 of these data racks side by side with one housing all of my networkign equipment and a UPS and the other with the main Loxone equipment on the front side and then all of the audioserver equipment on the back side. I pre planned all of my racks and did all of the electrical schematics ahead of time and when i knew what i needed there i used the Weidmueller configurator software to build the DIN rails for all of the terminal blocks that would be required which made life really easy as you can lable it all and then send it to your local Weidmueller dealer who can build the terminal block rails for you otherwise to buy all the individual components for a single project is a nightmare because they come in minimum purchase quantities of rather large volumes. I actually cound the cost of buying the pre made terminal rails quite reasonable and the cost of all the PSU's was actually cheaper per unit that way than if i had bought them all individually elsewhere.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/loxone-english/ba0b0e92-d19a-4045-a7b0-6e378d137adbn%40googlegroups.com.

[Paul Watkin]

As an electrician I would advise very strongly against using anything other than a proper DIN rail enclosure like those produced by consumer unit manufacturers like schneider, hager etc or the Loxone enclosures being manufactured by Future Automation.

Trying to put something together using 19inch racks etc is asking for trouble if something goes wrong, I certainly wouldn't carry out any work on a property that had been wired in this way even if it was on circuits that were unrelated.

How would you go about selling a property wired in this manner?

A future automation cabinet is around £500 for the smaller ones, surely a bodged rack is going to be in the realm of £250 by the time you buy DIN rail etc, why would you run the risk of having an uninsurable, potentially unsafe property for a few hundred pounds? 

Home automation can be done on a budget but this isn't the area to scrimp.

[SavvySpaces - Loxone Web Shop]

I think I agree on the Network rack front Paul, way too difficult to achieve any sort of legal compliance. 

I guess I would add similar is true for Consumer unit enclosures. Most are tested or type tested for the individual brand and adding in Loxone (or any other manufacturers kit) invalidates that testing.

In the UK & Europe (and most of the commonwealth) undertaking building a panel, be it Loxone, KNX, Lutron, Rako or any other manufacturer is a legally regulated process that result in a new ‘product’ or ‘Assembly’’ and falls well outside the usual BS7671 Electrical regs.

You can see a good example of this from Future Automation, They build and Supply Lutron Lighting Panels and have indeed had them tested and certified - the same is not true for Loxone Panels, they will sell you an enclosure that is not certified and it is then up to you to go through the certification process of your completed assembly. 

Notice they also refer to their enclosures as ‘Lighting’  enclosures, this is for very good reasons.

There is nothing wrong with building your own panel as long as you are aware of the legal requirements and insurance implications. 

If you want to learn more look at BS EN 61439 for Lighting applications and / or BS EN 60204 for applications which include any mechanical services such as heating/Ventilation/blinds/Boilers etc.

Generally I would build in these or similar:

https://www.nvent.com/en-gb/hoffman/products/single-door-enclosure-mild-steel-mas-0

 Martyn

On 22 Feb 2025, at 18:08, Paul Watkin <pa...@watkinworld.co.uk> wrote:

As an electrician I would advise very strongly against using anything other than a proper DIN rail enclosure like those produced by consumer unit manufacturers like schneider, hager etc or the Loxone enclosures being manufactured by Future Automation.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/loxone-english/7d882f11-8787-412a-bd68-10a31c3be2b0n%40googlegroups.com.