What Is a NEMA Rating?

The ratings from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) refer to the type of enclosure or seal on electronic devices in nonhazardous environments. NEMA ratings are typically applied to fixed, stationary devices such as televisions and fuse boxes.

Types

• There are 13 types of ratings with several types broken into subcategories. For example, a Type 3 rated device protects against windblown dust, whereas a Type 3R device does not. A complete list of NEMA's ratings can be found on NEMA's site.

NEMA and IP

• Mobile devices typically make use of IP ratings instead of NEMA ratings. However, according to Rugged PC Review and Siemon, the two rating schemes are similar. For example, NEMA ratings and IP ratings both score the device's resistance to dust and water.

Assumptions

• The NEMA rating assigned to a device assumes that the electronic device is properly installed.