BS EN 61439 explained: what it means for your control panel
The standard behind almost every low-voltage panel built in the UK, what design and routine verification actually involve, and what you should specify.
Read the articleTwo panel builders can look at the same job and come back with very different prices, and most of the time it’s because they’ve had to guess at different things. The more complete the information you send, the more accurate and comparable your quotes will be, and the fewer surprises there are once the build starts. Here’s what helps us give you a fast, firm price.
1. Electrical schematics
Your circuit diagrams are the heart of the quote. EPLAN, AutoCAD Electrical or PDF are all fine. Make sure they’re the latest revision and clearly marked as such, because quoting from an old revision is one of the most common causes of variations later.
2. Panel layout or GA drawing
A general arrangement drawing showing the enclosure, backplate layout, door devices and cable entries lets us price the mechanical preparation accurately. If you don’t have a layout, we can work from the schematics and BOM, but tell us about any space constraints on site.
3. Bill of materials
A BOM with manufacturer part numbers and quantities is ideal. Mark clearly anything you’ll be free-issuing, such as PLCs, drives or safety controllers you’ve already bought, and anything where you have a preferred brand or an approved component list to follow.
4. Enclosure details
- Size, material and finish (painted steel, stainless, colour)
- IP rating and the environment it’s going into
- Floor-standing or wall-mounted, and whether it needs a plinth
- Cooling requirements, such as fans, filters or air conditioning
5. Standards and specifications
Tell us which standards apply, for example BS EN 61439-2, BS EN 60204-1 or UL 508A, and send any customer or end-user specification you need to follow. Automotive and pharmaceutical projects in particular often have their own electrical specifications that affect labelling, wire types and documentation.
6. Wiring and labelling preferences
Cable colours, wire types, ferrule and marker style, label material and trunking fill all affect the build time. If you have a standard, send it. If not, we’ll build to UK conventions and BS EN 60445.
7. Testing and documentation
Every panel we build is routine verified to BS EN 61439. Let us know if you also need a witnessed factory acceptance test, functional testing with your software loaded, specific test certificates, or as-built drawings.
8. Quantities and timing
Is this a one-off, a small batch, or a panel you’ll need every month? When do you need it on site, and could deliveries be phased? Repeat builds and realistic timescales both help keep the price down.
9. Delivery
Where it’s going, any access restrictions on site, and whether it needs lifting eyes, a crate or special packaging for export.
Don’t have all of this yet?
That’s normal, especially early in a project. Send what you have. We can give you a budget price from early drawings and firm it up as the design develops, and we’ll list our assumptions clearly so you can see exactly what’s included.
The quickest way to a price: upload your drawings on our homepage or email them to quotes@propanelbuild.com. We’ll come back to you, usually within one working day.