Fox batteries that have an ingress protection rating of IP65 or above are suitable for outdoor installation. Please refer to the product manual for detailed installation guidance on placement and for ensuring the installation is adequately protected.
Batteries that do not have the internal warming function, while still suitable for installation outdoors or in cold environments, will be subject to derating measures and performance will be impacted. Please see this article for more information.
We are often asked if batteries can be installed in an enclosure or in some way insulated, and while the short answer is yes, this is subject to restrictions as detailed below.
It is important to take note of the clearances detailed in the product manual. These clearances can seem somewhat restrictive (and are more concerned with air-flow and to prevent battery over-heating) and they may seem somewhat counter-intuitive when the aim is to protect the batteries from cold weather impact, but they are an important consideration.
We can, however, permit clearances below the manual specified limits, but this can only be done on a case by case basis and we would require detailed specifications of any proposed enclosure.
When attempting to insulate the batteries from the cold, you must ensure the following measures are adhered to:
- The enclosure must be vented to provide air flow.
- The batteries must be easily accessible i.e. not in a locked enclosure.
- No insulating materials can be in direct contact with the batteries – pay attention to the clearance limits and possible exceptions to that as detailed above.
- We strongly recommend that the enclosure is not fixed or permanent (can be removed in warmer months), or at the very least ‘opened’ in some form (this flexibility may allow for more scope to permit clearances distances below those specified in the product manual).
- We do not recommend installing heaters inside any enclosure, however should you choose to do this, you would need to comply with the full clearance limits as detailed in the product manuals.
While batteries will be controlled and self-regulate in cold temperatures, we recognise the performance impacts might make the idea of an enclosure attractive and there can be significant performance benefits for outdoor installations particularly. If in any doubt, please get in touch for further advice.
