Hazardous area enclosures can pose a Catch-22 when it comes to preventing moisture build-up: you need to allow air to circulate in order to prevent condensation, but you do not want to compromise the IP66 Exe rating of the enclosure.

A breather drain plug such as the Redapt DP-E series breather drains, the Hawke 489 Breather Drains and the Hawke 389 Breather Drains supplied by Cable Systems offers the perfect solution, preventing moisture build-up inside Zone 1 and Zone 2 hazardous area enclosures, without raising risk levels.

For full details including technical specifications and downloadable datasheets for all the hazardous area breather drain plugs supplied by Cable Systems, you can view our current stock here.

 

What is a breather drain plug?

Breather drain plugs allow air to vent from hazardous area enclosures into the surrounding environment, taking any moisture with it and ensuring that condensation does not occur inside the enclosure.

Adequate ventilation is one of the most effective methods to combat excess moisture levels inside any enclosed space. A breather drain plug introduces this ventilation, but is designed to meet the necessary certification requirements such as ATEX, IECEx, INMETRO and general Exd/Exe standards.

The result is a safe passage for moist air to the exterior of the enclosure. Breather drains are known by several names, including breather vent plugs and conduit drains, and can also be used for other applications, such as to equalise the pressure inside an enclosure.

 

How do they prevent moisture?

Cable Systems supply Hawke, Raxton and Redapt DP-E series breather drains in a choice of nylon or metallic (aluminium/brass/stainless steel) construction. These all work in a similar way, by allowing air to circulate from hazardous area enclosures into the surrounding atmosphere.

This is particularly important in enclosures that are subject to changes in temperature, including those located outdoors or in non-climate-controlled industrial premises. When the temperature inside the enclosure falls below the dew point, moisture can condense out of the air, leading to the accumulation of liquid water inside the enclosure.

Even a small amount of liquid water inside the enclosure can put sensitive electrical circuitry and electronics at risk. Breather drain plugs create a safe way to exhaust humid air from the enclosure, without reducing the IP66 performance or voiding any Exd/Exe certification.

 

Biggest benefits of using breather drain plugs

Breather drain plugs such as Redapt DP-E series breather drains offer plenty of benefits when used in harsh and hazardous environments:

  • Choice of metallic or nylon construction
  • Choice of thread types and thread lengths
  • Compliant with ATEX, IECEx, INMETRO and other certifications
  • Certified Ex tb dust tight for Zone 21/22
  • Designed to maintain IP66 rating

Hazardous area breather drain plugs are manufactured to industry standards including IEC/EN 60079-0 on equipment for explosive atmospheres.

Full details of certifications, compliance, manufacturing standards and operating conditions (e.g. acceptable temperatures) can be found in the downloadable technical datasheets on the Cable Systems website, or by contacting us directly.

 

Ask us about breather drain plugs today

If you have any remaining questions about breather drain plugs, what type of breather drain plug you need, or how to install breather drain plugs in hazardous area enclosures correctly, please get in touch with Cable Systems and we will be happy to help.

We would also recommend you watch the introductory explainer video on the Redapt DP-E series breather drains page – just tap ‘Videos’ to play the three-minute overview on-demand.

All enquiries are welcome from new and existing customers, so if you would like to add any of our breather drains to your next order, or you want our help choosing the right material, thread type and length for your hazardous area enclosures, just ask.