There are two main choices in steel for enclosing your electrical switchboard - stainless steel and mild steel. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Threats Switchboards installed outside are at much greater risk than those indoors. The threats can be compounded by the environment including heavy rain, high levels of humidity, corrosive minerals such as sea salt, dust and UV radiation. If the switchboard is in an insecure area, there is also the risk of vandalism. Stainless Steel The greatest benefit of using stainless steel is that it’s impervious to corrosion and staining. The chromium and nickel within stainless steel stop the corrosion occurring. However, it is harder than most other materials to work with and cut because it is structurally strong. There are multiple grades of stainless steel. The most common one is 304 which contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel while 316 contains 16% chromium, 10% nickel and 2% molybdenum. The increased component of nickel makes h