Electrical and Installation Selection Guide
Electrical installation materials are grouped by the path the energy follows: distribution and enclosure, cable routing, connection and termination, and point of use.
This guide explains what to look at when choosing products in the Electrical and Installation category.
How electrical installation materials are grouped by job
The subcategories can be read in four groups, following the path the energy takes in the installation.
- Distribution and enclosure: under Panels and Equipment, panels, junction boxes, empty and socket-mounted combination boxes, busbars and rails; Fuse Boxes for residential-type distribution.
- Cable routing: sheet metal, plastic, adhesive-backed, in-panel and floor-type Cable Trunking; Cable Accessories for glands, spiral conduit, heat-shrink sleeves and cable ties.
- Connection and termination: Terminal Blocks in DIN rail, spring-connection, junction and ground types; Cable Terminals, Lugs and Ferrules for lugs, ferrules, insulated terminals and joint sleeves.
- Point of use: Switches and Sockets for fixed installation inside buildings, Industrial Plugs and Sockets for industrial and construction site supplies, Cable Reels for portable supply.
Dimensions to settle before ordering
Most of the parts in this group fit onto a cable or another part; the dimension that determines compatibility varies with the part.
- Cable gland: the thread system and size (such as metric M16 or PG 11) must match the hole in the housing, and the clamping range must match the cable outer diameter.
- Cable lug: the conductor cross-section and the bolt size are chosen together; an expression such as 185-12 in Gwest product names describes a 185 mm² cross-section and an M12 bolt hole.
- Cable ferrule: chosen according to the conductor cross-section; single- and double-entry types are separate.
- Terminal block: the conductor cross-section, the connection style (screw or spring) and the rail it will be mounted on are decisive.
- Box and panel: the total number of modules of the devices that will go inside and the cable entry direction are worked out in advance.
- Switch and socket: the mechanism, cover and frame are chosen from the same series.
The circuit current, cable cross-section and protective device are determined in the project before these materials. For the cross-section side, see the guide How to choose a cable.
How to read the IP code
The IP code is defined in the IEC 60529 standard. The first digit indicates protection against solid objects and dust, the second digit protection against water.
- First digit: 2 is protection against objects larger than 12.5 mm (fingers); 4 is protection against objects larger than 1 mm. 5 indicates a dust-protected housing, 6 a dust-tight housing.
- Second digit: 0 means no water protection; 4 indicates protection against splashing water from all directions, 5 against water jets, 6 against powerful water jets, and 7 against 30 minutes of immersion up to 1 m depth. 8 is for continuous immersion under conditions stated by the manufacturer.
Accordingly, an IP20 cable reel has no protection against water; an IP44 CEE plug is protected against splashing water from all directions. Immersion ratings do not automatically cover the water jet ratings: an IP67 socket is not considered separately tested against water jets. For products that pass both tests, the two values are written together with a slash; the IP66/68 in product names is a notation of this kind. The value applies when the product is installed as the manufacturer describes (cover closed or plug fully inserted, gland tightened).
The difference between a household socket and an industrial plug and socket
The household grounded socket (Schuko) is a two-pole, grounded system used up to 16 A in 230 V circuits; the plug can be inserted either way round. CEE standard industrial plugs and sockets (IEC 60309), on the other hand, are defined by the number of poles (2P+E, 3P+E, 3P+N+E), the rated current (common values are 16 A, 32 A and 63 A) and the IP rating. The housing color indicates the voltage: blue is for 200-250 V, red for three-phase circuits at the 400 V level. The clock position of the earth contact (such as 6h in product names) encodes the combination of voltage and frequency and prevents a plug and socket made for different voltages from mating. For three-phase machine and construction site supplies, the CEE group is used.
Brands in this category
- Schneider Electric: Yeni Unica, Asfora and Merten switch and socket series (mechanism, cover, frame), polyester enclosures and industrial boxes, and CEE plugs and sockets.
- Bemis: socket-mounted combination boxes, CEE plugs and sockets, junction boxes and cable reels.
- TP Elektrik: CEE and high-current industrial plugs and sockets, multi-contact connectors, junction boxes and combination boxes.
- Bylion: cable reels with Schuko, French and BS type sockets, and industrial extension cords.
Mete Enerji is listed with multi-contact connectors and combination boxes, Ortaç with glands and spiral conduits, Gwest with cable lugs and cable ties, UKS with sheet metal cable trunking and trunking accessories, Isıso with heat-shrink sleeves and cable ferrules, and Viko with wet location sockets, multiple sockets and wall switches.
Order notes
- Most products are sold per piece; in the heat-shrink sleeve, spiral conduit and cable trunking groups there are products sold by the meter.
- For small parts such as glands, lugs and ferrules, the quantity per box is written in the product name or on the product page (such as 50 pieces/box).
- For products listed as made-to-order, the lead time is confirmed before ordering.
- Product names carry the manufacturer stock code (such as NU810318, BY2-1402-2031); you can reach the product directly by typing the stock code into the search.
Electrical and Installation Product Groups Comparison Table
| Product Group | Key Selection Parameter | Protection / Standard | Typical Application | Category Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enclosures and Combination Boxes | Module capacity, dimensions, sheet steel/ABS | IP40 – IP66 · IK08–IK10 | Building, factory and jobsite power distribution and control panels | Panels and Equipment |
| Terminal Blocks and Connectors | Conductor cross-section (mm²), rated current | DIN rail mounted (EN 60947-7) | In-panel phase, neutral, PE and sensor signal distribution | Terminal Blocks |
| Cable Trunking, Glands and Accessories | Trunking size, thread (PG/Metric), clamping range | IP68 (glands) · Halogen-free / PVC | Cable routing, watertight enclosure entry and lug termination | Cable Accessories |
| Industrial Plugs, Sockets & Wiring Devices | 16 A – 125 A · 3P+E / 3P+N+E · Schuko | IEC 60309 · IP44 / IP67 | Machinery, generator, construction site and building power outlets | Plugs and Sockets |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between IP44 and IP67?
IP44 indicates protection against solid objects larger than 1 mm and against splashing water from all directions. An IP67 housing is dust-tight and protected against 30 minutes of immersion up to 1 m depth. According to IEC 60529, the immersion rating does not automatically cover the water jet ratings; if both are needed, the product states two values together. Which rating is required is determined by the installation location and the project.
What does 6h mean on CEE plugs and sockets?
6h is the position of the earth contact, described according to a clock face. In the IEC 60309 system this position varies with voltage and frequency, so that a plug and socket made for different voltages do not mate. The 6h position is used on blue 200-250 V 2P+E and red 380-415 V 3P+E plugs and sockets. The plug and socket must have the same number of poles, rated current and clock position.
What is the difference between a cable lug and a cable ferrule?
A cable lug is a perforated terminal crimped onto the end of the conductor and bolted to a busbar or switch terminal; it is chosen by conductor cross-section and bolt size. A cable ferrule is a thin tubular end that gathers the strands of a stranded conductor, and it is crimped before the conductor enters a terminal block or device terminal. A lug is for bolted connections, a ferrule for terminal block connections.
How is the gland size chosen?
Two dimensions must hold together: the thread of the gland must match the hole in the panel or box, and the clamping range must match the cable outer diameter. Metric (such as M16) and PG (such as PG 11) are two separate thread systems and are not interchangeable. The clamping range is given in the manufacturer's table as the smallest and largest cable diameter; if the cable is outside this range, the gland's declared IP rating may not be achieved.