IEC 61969-1:2011 contains design guidelines for outdoor enclosures and is applicable over a wide field of mechanical, electromechanical and electronic equipment and its installation where a modular design is used. The objective of this standard is to provide an overview of specifications for enclosures focused on requirements for outdoor applications for stationary use at non-weather protected locations. These enclosures are considered to contain any equipment and provide protection for the outdoor installed facilities against unwanted environmental impacts. The installed equipment may be, but is not limited to, subracks according to IEC 60917-2-2 or IEC 60297-3-101. This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition issued in 1999. It constitutes a technical revision. The main technical changes with regard to the previous edition are as follows:
- Addition of design guidance for thermal management and noise suppression as thermal/noise management is often considered a basic requirement of an empty outdoor enclosure. If thermal management components are included in the product, the environmental impact may become the responsibility of the empty outdoor enclosure manufacturer. Therefore the acoustic limitations shall be observed. Typically, the user of the empty outdoor enclosure follows the local regulatory acoustic requirements (sound power and/or sound pressure). Acoustic measurements may be performed on the empty outdoor enclosure fitted with thermal management components only or, if agreed between manufacturer and user at the final stage of the application specific installation.
- Historically, Ed 1 intended to create a market for standardized empty outdoor enclosures offered by multiple vendors. Detail standards such as IEC 61969-2-1 Ed 1 and IEC 61969-2-2 Ed 1 were issued to guide users to preferred and available solutions. However, development showed that this intend (created with user's participation) was not satisfying the user's expectations. Consequently, the detail standards IEC 61969-2-1 Ed 1 and IEC 61969-2-2 Ed 1 will be withdrawn when IEC 61969-2 Ed 2 is issued. The IEC 61969-2 Ed 2 co-ordination dimensions are based on IEC 60917-1. The definition outdoor cases and outdoor cabinets are merged into the definition outdoor enclosures.