# Control panels back board - perforated or solid?



## splatz (May 23, 2015)

I never tried the perforated - like this one 

https://www.automationdirect.com/ad...bbell-wiegmann/perforated_subpanels/n1p3036pp 

Seems like the perforation would speed up layout if nothing else? Maybe I'll give it a try.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

You should buy it.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

HackWork said:


> You should buy it.


Which one?!?


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

splatz said:


> Which one?!?


FFS, both.


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

I'm missing something here ??

Any control panel I've installed was either on plywood or on unistrut.

What's the advantage with the perforated board ?


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

Never seen a perforated one before but its got my interest. 

Will have to order one next time just to try it.


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

emtnut said:


> I'm missing something here ??
> 
> Any control panel I've installed was either on plywood or on unistrut.
> 
> What's the advantage with the perforated board ?


No drilling means no swarf so less chance something will get in a expensive part thus no need to remove the gear during assembly


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## Jhellwig (Jun 18, 2014)

emtnut said:


> I'm missing something here ??
> 
> Any control panel I've installed was either on plywood or on unistrut.
> 
> What's the advantage with the perforated board ?


It’s for the inside of the panel....


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

Jhellwig said:


> It’s for the inside of the panel....


Thanks, that's what I was missing ... I was thinking mounting


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

You’re only allowed to mount one thing inside of the enclosure, right?


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## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

HackWork said:


> You’re only allowed to mount one thing inside of the enclosure, right?


Only in Canada :biggrin:

Down south it's 6 or 8 ????


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

emtnut said:


> I'm missing something here ??
> 
> Any control panel I've installed was either on plywood or on unistrut.
> 
> What's the advantage with the perforated board ?


This isn't what the enclosure mounts on, it's the back board inside the enclosure that you mount your DIN rail and panduit on.


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## Rora (Jan 31, 2017)

I'm actually doing a panel now with a perforated backboard... 0.25" holes at 0.5" CtC, and that was exactly why I thought to do it--easier to mount DIN and Panduit perfectly square without any drilling.


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

I was working on one today, and will tomorrow. I will try to get a couple of pictures in , although this job is pretty stressful and I have been mostly not taking many pictures.


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## CoolWill (Jan 5, 2019)

The perforations mean it will be even easier for someone to mount a definite purpose contactor in there with a sheetrock screw down the road.


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## dronai (Apr 11, 2011)

Says "Perforations accept self-tapping screws for mounting lightweight components" Like drill and tap better, and using a square is easy enough


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

dronai said:


> Says "Perforations accept self-tapping screws for mounting lightweight components" Like drill and tap better, and using a square is easy enough


That's a good catch. I was sold on perforated but seeing "lightweight" there, I checked the specs at Hubbell. Both the perforated and the solid say they are for "lightweight" components, but the perforated panels are 14 gauge and the solid are 12 gauge. 

Usually I wouldn't think twice about this but I have one row of power supplies on this one that's going to be pretty heavy, I don't want it to be floppy. So I might wait until the next project to start using these perforated panels.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

We call it a back pan (short for panel I guess).


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

gpop said:


> No drilling means no swarf so less chance something will get in a expensive part thus no need to remove the gear during assembly


That's what vacuum's are for. Typically you would do your layout, mark all the holes, drill &tap (I like to use self-tap wafer screws), install the rails and panduit. Finally, after a thorough cleaning, the devices are installed. And of course, wiring.

Never used a perforated back pan, might try one in the future. I worry about the grid size dictating my layout though.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

splatz said:


> That's a good catch. I was sold on perforated but seeing "lightweight" there, I checked the specs at Hubbell. Both the perforated and the solid say they are for "lightweight" components, but the perforated panels are 14 gauge and the solid are 12 gauge.
> 
> Usually I wouldn't think twice about this but I have one row of power supplies on this one that's going to be pretty heavy, I don't want it to be floppy. So I might wait until the next project to start using these perforated panels.


Actually the heck with it, with the predrilled holes I'll just put twice the screws to hold the DIN rail to the panel, 14 gauge is still pretty stout.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

joe-nwt said:


> That's what vacuum's are for. Typically you would do your layout, mark all the holes, drill &tap (I like to use self-tap wafer screws), install the rails and panduit. Finally, after a thorough cleaning, the devices are installed. And of course, wiring.
> 
> Never used a perforated back pan, might try one in the future. I worry about the grid size dictating my layout though.



Anything that means less vacuuming is a good thing. Once the panel is in there's shavings falling behind the panel and it's hard to get them all. 



That's a good point about the layout, but this one I am doing I drew up with generous space between the rows so I think it will be fine, I can adjust. One where I was shoehorning everything in there with no space, it could be an issue. Then again worst case, you can always drill holes between the holes.


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

splatz said:


> Anything that means less vacuuming is a good thing. Once the panel is in there's shavings falling behind the panel and it's hard to get them all.
> 
> 
> 
> That's a good point about the layout, but this one I am doing I drew up with generous space between the rows so I think it will be fine, I can adjust. One where I was shoehorning everything in there with no space, it could be an issue. Then again worst case, you can always drill holes between the holes.


I do the drilling with the back pan on the bench and drop it in the panel after all the screws are in. That way there is less chance of any shaving getting left behind. Still have to vacuum all the wire strippings when complete.


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

Example:


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## scotch (Oct 17, 2013)

When I was an Apprentice in the U.K. we used perforated panel for backboard often for field mounted instrumentation and control panels .Used lots of perforated cable tray as well ; up to 18" width for both copper pneumatic lines and the electrical cables since they were mostly copper pyrotenex cables.


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

splatz said:


> Actually the heck with it, with the predrilled holes I'll just put twice the screws to hold the DIN rail to the panel, 14 gauge is still pretty stout.


I wonder how breakers, etc are going to be mounted directly to the back panel. Ive honestly no clue if theirs a industrial standard on screw spacing.


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## gpop (May 14, 2018)

joe-nwt said:


> I do the drilling with the back pan on the bench and drop it in the panel after all the screws are in. That way there is less chance of any shaving getting left behind. Still have to vacuum all the wire strippings when complete.



Most of my work is panel upgrades in the field. The cabinets are stainless so we generally gut them then install a new back plate and build on the fly.


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## 460 Delta (May 9, 2018)

CoolWill said:


> The perforations mean it will be even easier for someone to mount a definite purpose contactor in there with a sheetrock screw down the road.


I believe the proper shortcut is to use a long Tapcon screw rammed in crooked and forced against the enclosure back pushing the back pan out.lain:


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## [email protected] (Jan 30, 2015)

I float a 12 gauge aluminum sheet for DIN/component and Pandit mounting inside my control panels - easy to drill and tap and holds heavier components.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

HackWork said:


> You should buy it.


I DID! 

I just sent out the panel I built, a 30" x 36" packed to the gills. I was in such a rush to make my deadline, I forgot to take pictures so you jackals could tear my work apart. 

I was able to do my layout very fast. I cut the DIN rails and slotted duct and set everything out, played with it until I liked the spacing, then screwed everything in. It is a pretty significant time savings and everything comes out perfectly spaced and perfectly square. 

I used the wafer head screws to mount the slotted duct, and drilled and tapped 10-32 to mount the DIN rail. I actually tacked everything down with the wafer screws first then went back, drilled and tapped 10-32 holes and used ground screws for the DIN rail. 

I am sold, I will probably buy a perforated back board whenever I have more than a couple items to mount in the future.


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

splatz said:


> I DID!


Both?


BTW, I don't even know what we are talking about here.


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