Tag: explosion proof

Meet the Next Evolution in Industrial Cleanup: The EasySwitch Wet-Dry Vac — Now Available in ATEX

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

In fast-paced industrial environments, cleanup demands can change in seconds. One moment you’re recovering spilled coolant, the next you’re vacuuming metal chips or fine dust. Equipment that can’t keep up slows productivity, increases risk, and drives maintenance costs. That’s where the EXAIR EasySwitch Wet-Dry Vac changes the game — and now, with the introduction of the ATEX version, it’s ready for even the most hazardous environments.

One Vacuum. Two Modes. Zero Downtime.

The EasySwitch Wet-Dry Vac was engineered to eliminate one of the most common pain points in industrial housekeeping: switching between wet and dry cleanup.

Traditional vacuums often require time-consuming filter changes, tools, or even separate units. The EasySwitch simplifies this process with a patented, tool-free design that allows operators to transition from liquid recovery to dry debris removal in seconds.

A single latch releases the filter element for quick removal when moving to liquid mode — then reinstalls just as easily for dry applications.

Powered by Air — Not Electricity

Unlike electric shop vacs that rely on motors prone to wear, the EasySwitch operates entirely on compressed air.

This pneumatic design delivers several operational advantages:

  • No motors to clog or burn out
  • Maintenance-free operation
  • Safe for liquid recovery
  • Continuous duty capability
  • Reduced risk of electrical hazards

With no moving parts in the vacuum generator, reliability increases while maintenance requirements drop — a major win for plant managers and maintenance teams alike.

Not that it’s particularly difficult to change the filter in my trusty shop vac, but this is indeed an “Easy Switch”.

Introducing the ATEX EasySwitch: Built for Explosive Atmospheres

For facilities operating in hazardous locations, standard equipment isn’t enough. That’s where the ATEX-rated EasySwitch Wet-Dry Vac comes in.

ATEX certification refers to equipment approved for use in potentially explosive atmospheres — environments where flammable gases, vapors, mists, or combustible dust may be present.

These include industries such as:

  • Chemical processing
  • Oil & gas
  • Paint & coatings
  • Food processing (combustible dust)
  • Pharmaceutical manufacturing

The ATEX EasySwitch is engineered to mitigate these risks through explosion-protected design, allowing safe pneumatic vacuum operation in classified hazardous areas.

Because the EasySwitch already operates without electricity, it provides a strong foundation for hazardous-location safety — now enhanced with ATEX compliance for regulated environments.

The Bottom Line

The EasySwitch Wet-Dry Vac redefines industrial cleanup with:

  • Instant wet/dry conversion
  • Tool-free filter changes
  • Pneumatic, maintenance-free operation
  • Powerful vacuum performance

And now, with the ATEX version, it extends those benefits into the most demanding and hazardous work environments.

Whether you’re managing coolant recovery on the shop floor or maintaining compliance in explosive atmospheres, the EasySwitch platform delivers the flexibility, safety, and performance modern industry demands. If you have any questions, please reach out.

Jordan Shouse, CCASS

Application Engineer / Sales Operations Engineer

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UL Hazardous Class 1, Div 1, Groups A,B,C and D

Published on by Jordan T ShouseLeave a comment

EXAIR’s HazLoc Cabinet Cooler Systems have been set apart from the competition by achieving the UL classified designation for Div 1 environments. Thermostatically controlled systems are recommended for the highest efficiency and include UL-listed solenoids, also for hazardous environments. EXAIR Cabinet Cooller systems will install on your purged enclosure in minutes, require little to no maintenance and operate under the roughest of industrial conditions. If you require low cost, ease of use and reliability, a HazLoc Cabinet Cooler system will meet your needs.

 In the United States, the National Electrical Code (NEC) defines these areas in a system of Classes, Divisions, and Groups, depending on the nature of the material that presents the hazard (Class), whether it normally exists or if it’s just possible in abnormal situations (Division), and the specific type of the subject material (Group). Today’s blog is all about what would classify an area as Class I, Division 1, and which Group the specific hazardous material falls under.

A Class I location means that the hazard is a flammable gas or vapor which is present in the area in a high enough concentration to be considered ignitable. These were the locations that we were required to use non-sparking tools within, and for good reason. Some examples of Class I locations are:

  • Petroleum refineries
  • Gasoline storage or dispensing areas
  • Aircraft hangars and fueling stations
  • Spray finishing rooms or booths

Division 1 means that the flammable gas or vapor that makes the area a Class I location is present in the atmosphere during normal operating conditions and/or when the gas or vapor is released to the atmosphere during maintenance or repair work. These gases & vapors aren’t present in ALL areas of the above-listed Class I examples during normal operation, so only the areas where they ARE present during normal operations would be defined as Division 1. For example:

  • Areas where a gasoline tank (in a refinery or gasoline storage/dispensing station, for example) is vented to the atmosphere are Class I Division 1, because the vapor coming out of the vent is doing so by design…you can’t pump a liquid into a non-vented tank.
  • Only the parts of an aircraft hangar where fuel is actually being handled are Division 1. That wouldn’t necessarily apply to a stock or communications room in the hangar, though.
  • The interior of a paint booth is Division 1 because the spray is volatile, as is the immediate vicinity adjacent to an open spray booth.

Class I designation is further divided into four groups, based on two specific characteristics of the gas or vapor that express how easy it is to cause (or how hard it is to prevent) an explosive hazard:

  • Maximum Experimental Safe Gap (MESG) – The gas is put in the interior chamber of a vessel with an adjustable gap that leads to the outer chamber. MESG is the largest gap between the chambers that will prevent ignition of the gas.
  • Minimum Igniting Current (MIC) ratio. This is the ratio of the minimum current from an inductive spark required to ignite the gas, divided by the minimum current from an inductive spark that will ignite methane under the same conditions.
  • Group A: Acetylene
    • MESG = 0.25 mm
    • MIC ratio = 0.017
  • Group B: Hydrogen, butanedione, ethylene oxide, Propylene oxide, and acrolein
    • MESG <0.45mm (except acetylene)
    • MIC ratio <0.4 (except acetylene)
  • Group C: Ethylene, cyclopropane and ethyl ether
    • MESG = 0.45mm to 0.75mm
    • MIC ratio = 0.4 – 0.8
  • Group D: Acetone, ammonia, benzene, butane, ethanol, gasoline, hexanes, methane, methanol, methane, naphtha, natural gas, propane and toluene
    • MESG >0.75mm
    • MIC ratio >0.8

EXAIR HazLoc Cabinet Cooler Systems are engineered and approved for use on electrical enclosures in these areas, as well as Class II and Class III. Our ATEX Cabinet Cooler Systems are compliant with the European Union’s ATEX Directive (Zones 2 and 22).

Both the HazLoc (left) and ATEX (right) Cabinet Cooler Systems are available from stock in NEMA 4 and NEMA 4X ratings.

Wherever the panel you need cooling for is located, we’ve very likely got a reliable and safe solution. If you’d like to find out more, give me a call.

Jordan Shouse
Application Engineer

Send me an email
Find us on the Web 
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Twitter: @EXAIR_JS

Cooling Sensitive Electronics in ATEX Zones 2 and 22

Published on by Tyler DanielLeave a comment

EXAIR now offers from stock ATEX Cabinet Coolers independently tested and certified for installation on purged and pressurized electrical enclosures located in ATEX Zones 2 and 22. Using nothing but an ordinary supply of compressed air, our Cabinet Coolers produce a stream of cold air that’s ducted and directed towards the heat-generating components inside your control cabinets.

Using Vortex Tube technology, these coolers are the ideal cooling method when looking for a maintenance-free solution. As the coolers have no moving parts or refrigerants to leak, you can count on year after year of reliable performance when they’re supplied with clean, oil-free compressed air.

Hot air from inside the panel exhausts through the Cabinet Cooler itself, ensuring that the panel remains sealed off from any environmental contaminants. The ATEX Cabinet Cooler is offered in (8) different cooling capacities ranging from 1,000 Btu/hr – 5,600 Btu/hr. They’re offered in Aluminum, 303 stainless steel, and 316 stainless steel.

Take a look at a previous video for a closer look at the ATEX Cabinet Coolers and how quickly they can be installed:

We have these on the shelf and ready to ship. If you’ve been delaying implementation of a Cabinet Cooler, act fast before we’re in the middle of summer and the blistering heat is causing shutdowns across your plant. Same-day shipping is available with orders placed before 2:00 ET!

Tyler Daniel, CCASS

Application Engineer

E-mail: TylerDaniel@EXAIR.com

X: @EXAIR_TD

Explanation of Hazardous Locations – Class 1 Div 1, Groups A, B, C, and D

Published on by Russ BowmanLeave a comment

My first job out of the Navy was in industrial & chemical pump repair. Oftentimes, the customer would remove the pump from its installation and send it in for us to fix. Other times, we’d go out to their facility if it was an exceptionally large pump and/or if seeing what it was doing (or not doing) while it was running was beneficial. Sometimes the pump was located in an area that was designated as explosion proof, or classified. There were different precautions we’d need to take, depending on what the particular hazard (or potential for a hazard) was. More often than not, that meant that we had to observe some VERY basic safety rules…no open flame was a biggie…but occasionally, we’d have to take apart a pump in an area that required us to use non-sparking tools. One time, I actually had to attach a grounding strap to my wrist, because even a spark from a static charge could have been bad news.

Electrical products that are operated in such areas have to meet certain requirements, or classifications.  In the United States, the National Electrical Code (NEC) defines these areas in a system of Classes, Divisions, and Groups, depending on the nature of the material that presents the hazard (Class), whether it normally exists or if it’s just possible in abnormal situations (Division), and the specific type of the subject material (Group). Today’s blog is all about what would classify an area as Class I, Division 1, and which Group the specific hazardous material falls under.

A Class I location means that the hazard is a flammable gas or vapor which is present in the area, in a high enough concentration to be considered ignitable. These were the locations that we were required to use non-sparking tools in, and for good reason. Some examples of Class I locations are:

  • Petroleum refineries
  • Gasoline storage or dispensing areas
  • Aircraft hangars and fueling stations
  • Spray finishing rooms or booths

Division 1 means that the flammable gas or vapor that makes the area a Class I location is present in the atmosphere during normal operating conditions and/or when the gas or vapor is released to the atmosphere during maintenance or repair work. These gases & vapors aren’t present in ALL areas of the above listed Class I examples during normal operation, so only the areas where they ARE present during normal operations would be defined as Division 1. For example:

  • Areas where a gasoline tank (in a refinery or gasoline storage/dispensing station, for example) is vented to the atmosphere are Class I Division 1, because the vapor coming out of the vent is doing so by design…you can’t pump a liquid into a non-vented tank.
  • Only the parts of an aircraft hangar where fuel is actually being handled are Division 1. That wouldn’t necessarily apply to a stock or communications room in the hangar, though.
  • The interior of a paint booth is Division 1 because the spray is volatile, as is the immediate vicinity adjacent to an open spray booth.

Class I designation is further divided into four Groups, based on two specific characteristics of the gas or vapor that basically express how easy it is to cause (or how hard it is to prevent) an explosive hazard:

  • Maximum Experimental Safe Gap (MESG) – The gas is put in the interior chamber of a vessel with an adjustable gap that leads to the outer chamber. MESG is the largest gap between the chambers that will prevent ignition of the gas.
  • Minimum Igniting Current (MIC) ratio. This is the ratio of the minimum current from an inductive spark required to ignite the gas, divided by the minimum current from an inductive spark that will ignite methane under the same conditions.
  • Group A: Acetylene
    • MESG = 0.25 mm
    • MIC ratio = 0.017
  • Group B: Hydrogen, butadiene, ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, and acrolein
    • MESG <0.45mm (except acetylene)
    • MIC ratio <0.4 (except acetylene)
  • Group C: Ethylene, cyclopropane and ethyl ether
    • MESG = 0.45mm to 0.75mm
    • MIC ratio = 0.4 – 0.8
  • Group D: Acetone, ammonia, benzene, butane, ethanol, gasoline, hexane, methane, methanol, methane, naphtha, natural gas, propane and toluene
    • MESG >0.75mm
    • MIC ratio >0.8

EXAIR HazLoc Cabinet Cooler Systems are engineered and approved for use on electrical enclosures in these areas, as well as Class II and Class III. Our ATEX Cabinet Cooler Systems are compliant with the European Union’s ATEX Directive (Zones 2 and 22).

Both the HazLoc (left) and ATEX (right) Cabinet Cooler Systems are available from stock in NEMA 4 and NEMA 4X ratings.

Wherever the panel you need cooling for is located, we’ve very likely got a reliable and safe solution. If you’d like to find out more, give me a call.

Russ Bowman, CCASS

Application Engineer
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