[Davenport, IA: April 13, 2006] – Announcing the HFX Series Inside-Outlet™ GFCI control panel utility receptacle. Designed to mount on the outside of electrical enclosures and fit into the Hoffman INTERSAFE access doors. The Inside-Outlet™ GFCI employs a unique design by combining both an external and an internal control panel GFCI receptacle into one assembly. This increases safety and saves time by making the GFCI TEST/RESET functions available to maintenance personnel from the outside of the control panel.
By installing an external Inside-Outlet™, a separate internal utility receptacle no longer needs to wired inside the panel.Internal control panel utility receptacles have been the industry standard. In 2002, the NFPA 79 Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery mandated that control panel utility outlets have GFI protection.
Furthermore, utility receptacles mounted externally to the enclosure, needed to be covered to maintain the NEMA rating when not in use (NFPA 79, 16.1.1(6) & 16.1.2).
Moreover, the electrical safety (NFPA 70e) factors combined with the GFCI requirement have changed the application of the simple control panel utility receptacle. For example, a GFCI can only be proven effective when its TEST/RESET function is performed monthly under live power. Unfortunately, opening a control panel (NFPA 70e) requires personnel to don protective clothing, which turns a simple 30 second TEST into a 30 minute task! The perfect solution is for maintenance personnel to operate the GFCI TEST/RESET function from the outside of the enclosure with the Inside-Outlet™.
About Grace Engineering
Grace Engineered Products manufactures the GracePort line of convenience interfaces and data interface ports. GracePorts extend the data ports of internally mounted devices from the inside, to the outside of control panels. Grace provides over 8000 different combinations of cables, connectors, and outlets in NEMA 1/12/4/4X, stainless steel, and Nema 7/9 housings. All ports are clearly marked as to their function. Orders are processed in any quantities with a typical 3-5 day delivery.