Southco said its new F2 multi-point latch is designed to address enclosure space, serviceability, sealing and safety challenges in battery energy storage system (BESS) applications, positioning it as an alternative to conventional vertical rod latches.
The access hardware manufacturer said the F2 has a slimmer profile of 30 mm to 50 mm compared with conventional vertical rod hardware, which it said can increase enclosure footprint when mounted externally or reduce internal space for battery modules when mounted internally.
The US company said the latch is designed with a 13:1 mechanical advantage intended to support single-handed operation of heavy enclosure doors, compared with traditional systems the company said can require two technicians. It added that the F2 is designed to maintain latching and sealing performance with up to 6 mm of door deformation, a condition that can cause traditional rod latches to jam or lose their seal in outdoor installations.
The company said the F2 delivers 12 mm of gasket compression intended to achieve an IP66 ingress protection rating, and that each latching point is rated to support more than 5,000 newtons of load. It said this is intended to help enclosures better withstand internal pressure during thermal runaway events and reduce the concentration of force at fewer locking points compared with traditional rod latches.
Pennsylvania-based Southco has manufactured engineered access hardware for more than 70 years, serving transportation, industrial, medical and data center equipment markets in addition to battery energy storage applications.
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