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Proven to withstand extreme UV radiation for decades

Why UV Resistance Is Critical for Outdoor Enclosures and cabinets

Outdoor environments expose electrical enclosures to intense and prolonged ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Over time, this can lead to material degradation, discoloration, brittleness, and ultimately, failure. For industries such as solar energy, telecommunications, and infrastructure, this poses a serious risk to operational reliability and safety.

Fibox enclosures and cabinets are engineered to defy these challenges. Made from high-performance polycarbonate, they are designed to endure the harshest conditions—including decades of direct sunlight—without compromising structural integrity or appearance.

GRP-vs-Fibox-EK-after-outdoor-exposure-1Comparison of two enclosures after long-term UV exposure—on the right, a GRP enclosure installed in 2016 shows significant degradation with exposed glass fibers, while on the left, a Fibox EK polycarbonate enclosure has remained durable and intact after over 25 years in harsh conditions.

Built Stronger Over Time: The Fibox Advantage

Fibox enclosures are not just UV-resistant—they actually become stronger with exposure. This was confirmed in an independent accelerated weathering study (referred to as study A) using ISO 4892-2 standards. The test simulated 25 years of solar radiation using a xenon arc lamp over 5,000 hours.

Key Material Benefits of Fibox Polycarbonate Enclosures and Cabinets:

  • 100% corrosion-free
  • Watertight with IP66 rating
  • High impact resistance: up to IK10 using ARCA IEC cabinets
  • Excellent insulation: up to 1500VDC
  • UV stabilized (UL 508 / UL 746C)
  • Flame retardant: UL 94-5VA for ARCA IEC cabinets
  • Resistant to chemicals
  • Lightweight and easy to customize
  • Low maintenance

Tested to the Limit: 3000-Hour Solar Radiation Exposure

Fibox enclosures underwent rigorous testing at Eurofins Electric & Electronics Finland Oy, following ISO 4892-1 and ISO 4892-2 (Method A, Cycle 4) at the end of year 2024 (referred to as test B). The test simulated long-term outdoor exposure using the following conditions:

  • UV intensity: 60 W/m²
  • Temperature: +38°C, 50% RH
  • Spray cycle: 18 minutes every 2 hours
  • Duration: 3000 hours (equivalent to ~25 years of sun exposure)
  • Rotation: Weekly repositioning for uniform exposure

The properties of the simulated solar radiation, and those of natural light. Figure shows the spectrum of sunlight according to CIE 85-1989 (for AM 1.5) and the spectrum of the simulated radiation in the wavelength range of 250-2500 nm.

uv-exposure-testAll samples were positioned in the test area, and repositioned once every week.

Mechanical Testing: Stronger After Sunlight

Mechanical tests (test B) were conducted at 0, 1500, and 3000 hours of exposure, including:

  • Tensile strength (ISO 527)
  • Flexural modulus (ISO 178)
  • Impact resistance (EN 62262, IK08 and IK10)

Results:

  • Tensile strength increased slightly after exposure (e.g., Sample 1: from 2290 N at 0h to 2381.6 N at 3000h).
  • Flexural strength remained stable or improved (e.g., Sample 3: from 96.0 N to 103.4 N).
  • Impact resistance passed IK08 and IK10 even after 3000 hours.

Ideal for Solar and Other Outdoor Applications

Solar Energy Systems

Fibox enclosures are ideal for photovoltaic (PV) systems, where they protect inverters, junction boxes, and monitoring equipment from UV, moisture, and impact.

Other Applications

  • Telecom and 5G infrastructure
  • Smart city and IoT devices
  • Industrial automation
  • Marine and coastal installations
ARCA-IEC-after-over-10-years-of-UV-exposure

ARCA IEC that was installed October 21st 2013 after 11 years of outdoor exposure in Central Europe.

Conclusion: Confidence That Lasts Decades

Fibox enclosures are more than just UV-resistant—they are UV-resilient. Backed by rigorous testing and decades of field performance, they offer unmatched protection for your critical components in the harshest environments.

Whether you're installing solar panels in the desert or smart sensors in the Arctic, Fibox enclosures are built to last—without getting "wrinkles."

fibox-enclosures-built-to-last-in-harsh-conditions

 

Curious to learn more? Contact us!

Looking for a suitable outdoor enclosure or cabinet? We're happy to consult you to find the right protection for your project.

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ARCA

Superior performance and security in most demanding environments. Easy to use. Quick to install. All this is driven by innovation and market driven product development. ARCA is a viable and cost effective alternative to sheet steel cabinets being installed in harsh and demanding environments. In a nutshell, ARCA has all the features of steel but benefits of high grade thermoplastic.

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EK

EK range is the ideal solution for housing equipment in either a single enclosure or a flexible modular system. EK is available with flange openings providing several options to use wide selection of accessories or connect enclosures to each other so as to form larger enclosure panel. EK FSH-models include wide opening hinges.

Read more about EK

MNX

MNX polycarbonate and ABS enclosures utilize world-class injection moulding technology. They are designed to house and protect all kinds of electrical and electronic components in the most demanding applications. The MNX includes more than 260 different variations.

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