42U Outdoor Cabinet

An outdoor cabinet is used at 5G, telecom, roadside, railway, utility and industrial sites where there is no equipment room. It protects switches, routers, optical equipment, power systems and batteries from rain, dust, sun and temperature extremes.

The cabinet can be mounted on a concrete plinth, a pole or a wall. Front and rear access let technicians service the equipment without removing the cabinet from the site.

The cabinet uses a double-wall steel construction with thermal insulation between the walls. The outer wall is powder-coated for outdoor use; the inner wall protects the equipment. The door seals use EPDM or silicone gaskets, and the cable entries use gland plates or sealed connectors.

IP55 protects against dust ingress and water jets from any direction. For coastal, desert or heavily polluted sites, specify a higher corrosion class, a sun shield and a larger maintenance interval. Confirm the IP rating, the salt-spray test and the paint system for the destination.

Cooling options include a filtered fan, a heat exchanger and a closed-loop air conditioner. A fan is the lowest-cost option but brings dust into the cabinet; a heat exchanger keeps the enclosure sealed; an air conditioner is used when the outside temperature is higher than the equipment intake target.

Cooling capacity is typically 300 W to 3 kW, depending on the equipment load and the site climate. The cabinet usually includes a power distribution unit, a thermostat, a door alarm and an optional battery compartment. For 5G sites, the RRU and baseband equipment may be mounted in a separate compartment.

Install the cabinet on a level concrete plinth or a galvanized steel frame. Leave at least 800 mm in front and 600 mm at the rear for door opening and service. Connect the cabinet to the site earth bar and install a surge protective device on the power and signal lines.

Use a three-point lock, a tamper alarm and a padlockable handle for security. For remote sites, add a door sensor and a temperature/humidity sensor to the monitoring system. Keep the cabinet keys in a controlled access system.

Options include a battery compartment, a sun shield, a cable gland plate, a heater, an LED light, a door alarm and a pole-mounting kit. The cabinet ships in a wooden crate with edge protection. Typical lead time is 20 to 30 working days after drawing approval, with 1 unit as the minimum order.