Southco introduces a multipoint latch for energy storage enclosures

Southco has unveiled the F2 latch, a multipoint solution for energy storage enclosures designed to improve space utilization, field servicing, and sealing compared with traditional rod latches.

Slimmer design

The access hardware manufacturer says the F2 has a slimmer profile—30 to 50 mm—compared with conventional rod hardware. According to the company, traditional solutions can increase an enclosure’s overall external dimensions when mounted externally or reduce the internal space available for battery modules when mounted internally.

The US company designed the latch with a mechanical advantage of 13:1, allowing heavy enclosure doors to be operated with one hand. By comparison, traditional systems often require two technicians.

The manufacturer also says the F2 maintains its latching and sealing performance even with door deformation of up to 6 mm—a condition that can cause traditional rod latches to jam or compromise sealing in outdoor installations.

Sealing and strength

The F2 latch provides 12 mm of gasket compression, enabling an IP66 ingress protection rating. Each latching point is rated for a load exceeding 5,000 newtons.

According to Southco, this helps enclosures better withstand internal pressure during thermal runaway events and reduces the concentration of force on fewer latching points compared with traditional rod latches.

About the company

Southco, headquartered in Pennsylvania, has been manufacturing engineered access hardware for more than 70 years. The company serves the transportation, industrial, medical, and data center equipment markets, as well as, more recently, the energy storage sector.

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