Do I Need To Protect Electrical Panels From Fire?

When an electrical panel or control unit catches fire, the damage rarely stays inside the enclosure. It can cut the power, shut down production lines and spread to nearby equipment. In short, it puts your entire business at risk.

So, if you’re wondering whether you need to protect electrical panels from fire, ask yourself what a fire would cost. If a fire could result in days or weeks of downtime, the answer is an unequivocal yes.

In this article, we’ll look at why fires start inside electrical panels, which industries face the greatest risk, and the best way to protect your panels with a clean-agent suppression system.

What Causes Fires in Electrical Panels?

Electrical panels are confined spaces packed with conductive, high-current components. An electrical fault, spark, or overheating component poses a significant fire risk that can rapidly escalate if left uncontrolled.

Here are some of the most common sources of electrical panel fires:

• Busbars distribute power throughout the panel, carrying high currents between components. Loose connections, overloading or electrical faults can generate excessive heat, increasing the risk of arcing and fire.
• Electrical cables connect the various components within the panel. Damaged insulation, poor installation or overloaded circuits can cause cables to overheat, short circuit or ignite, making them a common source of electrical fires.
• Electrical components such as circuit breakers, fuses, contactors, relays and power supplies can fail due to age, dust, moisture or electrical faults. These failures can create heat, sparks or arcing, potentially leading to a fire if left undetected.
• Heat build-up affects any enclosed cabinet. Panels are sealed to keep out dust and moisture, but that also leaves little room for heat from the components to escape, especially if a cooling fan fails or a vent becomes blocked.

The location of electrical panels makes all of these risks worse. Many sit in switch rooms, plant rooms and other remote, unattended sites where foot traffic is low. This makes it much more likely a small fire can quickly spread before anyone notices.

Which Industries Benefit Most From Electrical Panel Fire Protection?

Any business that relies on electrical panels, PLC cabinets or control systems will benefit from an automatic fire suppression system. The risk is particularly great in industries where a single panel failure can halt production or where panels sit in unattended areas.

The following industries should make electrical panel fire protection a priority:

• Manufacturing – A control cabinet fire can halt the entire production line and stop your entire operation.
• Automotive – PLC cabinets control automated lines and robotics, so a panel fire can halt production in a supply chain.
• EV charging – Control panels power charging points at sites that are often unstaffed, so a fire can take chargers out of service before anyone knows.
• Food production – Panels control processing and packing lines, so a fire can stop production and put perishable stock at risk.
• Data centres and server rooms – A clean agent system is essential to reduce costly downtime and keep equipment intact after a fire.
• AD and CHP plants – Panels manage gas handling and on-site generation, often with minimal staff, so a fire can shut down output before anyone arrives to respond.

We've already protected electrical panels across several of these sectors. This includes an electrical cabinet at a manufacturing facility, six electrical panels at a UK food production site, and three control panels at an EV charging station. Our clean agent systems even help protect Scarborough’s historic tramway.

Why Clean Agent Systems Are the Right Choice to Protect Electrical Panels

Traditional fire protection methods aren’t designed to protect live electrical equipment. Water conducts electricity and can ruin circuit boards. Dry powder leaves a residue that must be cleaned before the panel can be reused.

A clean agent system solves both problems by suppressing the fire safely without leaving damaging residue. At Fireward, we use two trusted clean agents:

• Reacton 1230™, formerly known as 3M Novec 1230, is a fluorinated ketone that's stored as a liquid and discharged as a gas.
• FM-200™, also known as HFC-227ea, is an odourless, colourless gas and one of the most extensively tested liquefiable clean agents available.

Clean agent systems can be released directly or indirectly.

Direct release systems discharge the agent straight from the detection tube at the point where it has burst, which makes them ideal for individual panels and cabinets.

Watch the video below to see a direct release system suppressing an electrical panel fire:

Indirect release systems use detection tubes to trigger a discharge through a network of hoses and nozzles, giving wider coverage across larger enclosures. At Fireward, we offer both, in either Reacton 1230 or FM-200, depending on the panels you wish to protect

How Clean Agent Fire Suppression for Electrical Panels Works

Our clean agent system is designed for enclosed electrical assets and activates the moment it detects flame.

Watch the video below to learn how the system works:

The system runs on pressure rather than electricity, so it keeps working even if the fire cuts power to the panel.

Daily checks and regular maintenance are still essential to ensure the system works properly. Remember, if the pressure gauge is green, the system is good to go. If it’s red, it needs a check.

Why Trust Fireward?

As the UK’s market leader in automatic fire suppression systems, we understand the importance of protecting the electrical panels and cabinets that are vital to running your operation.

Our clean agent fire suppression systems are certified to the highest standards, fully automatic and tailored to your needs to give you complete protection day or night.

• 24/7 protection. Our system operates 24/7, 365 days a year, with no manual intervention or power required, giving you complete peace of mind.
• Ultra-fast detection. With just a single moving part in the event of a fire, our system is the fastest-acting in the market and offers the best protection.
• 5-year warranty. Our clean agent direct system comes with a 5-year parts and labour warranty as standard, so you're covered long after installation.
• Full accreditation. All our systems are third-party certified to UL 2166 (Direct), UL 2166 (Indirect) and LPS 1666, so you can rest assured you have the best-rated systems in the industry.
• Additional safety features. Our system can include alarm integration, automatic shutdown, sounder beacons and manual actuation, so you can cover every eventuality.
• Extreme conditions. Our system is tested to work at temperatures as low as -20°C, so it performs reliably in the toughest environments.

To learn more about Fireward’s Automatic Fire Suppression systems for electrical panels, call 0800 151 0249 or email sales@fireward.co.uk.

Electrical Panel Fire Suppression FAQs

Is it a legal requirement to fit fire suppression to electrical panels?

There's no blanket legal requirement to fit suppression inside electrical panels. However, UK fire safety law requires the responsible person for a business premises to assess fire risks and take reasonable steps to reduce them. If your risk assessment identifies electrical panels as a significant hazard, automatic suppression is one of the most effective ways to address it.

Is a clean agent safe for electrical equipment?

Yes. Both Reacton 1230™ and FM-200™ are electrically non-conductive and leave no residue, so they won't damage circuit boards, wiring or other sensitive components. That's why clean agents are the standard choice for protecting electrical and electronic equipment.

Will an automatic fire suppression system still work if the power fails?

Yes. Our system uses pneumatic detection, which relies on pressure rather than electricity. It keeps your panel protected during a power cut or electrical fault that knocks out the supply.

Can you fit a clean agent system to an existing electrical panel?

Yes. Our engineers install clean agent systems on existing panels and cabinets, routing the detection tube through the enclosure close to the main fire risks. We'll recommend a direct or indirect system based on your panel's size and layout.

Protecting People and Assets 24/7

To find out more about Fireward’s Automatic Fire Suppression systems, get in touch by calling 0800 151 0249 or email at: sales@fireward.co.uk.