Quick answer: An explosion proof camera is a camera whose enclosure is certified for a classified hazardous area: a flameproof housing (Ex db) that contains an internal ignition, or a dust-tight one (Ex tb) that keeps combustible dust out. North America classifies areas by Class and Division under the NEC (the CEC in Canada uses Zones for new Class I installations); ATEX and IECEx use Zones. A certificate belongs to one model, one marking and one set of conditions of use. The six CASE Project Series explosion-proof cameras (CSP- prefix) are project-quoted: availability, certificates, lead time and warranty term are confirmed in writing per project before anything is promised.
Hazardous-area basics: Class/Division vs Zone
A hazardous (classified) area is one where flammable gas or vapor, combustible dust, or ignitable fibers can be present in enough quantity to ignite. A camera is an ignition source like any other electrical device: its electronics, its heater, and on a PTZ its motors.
In the US, NEC Articles 500 to 504 (NFPA 70) use Class/Division. Class I is gas or vapor, Class II combustible dust, Class III fibers and flyings. Division 1 means the hazard is present under normal operation; Division 2 means it appears only under abnormal conditions such as a leak; gas groups A to D and dust groups E to G refine the requirement. NEC Articles 505 and 506 also allow the Zone system in the US, and the Canadian Electrical Code (CSA C22.1) Section 18 uses Zones for new Class I installations while keeping Divisions for existing ones; verify the edition in force with the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).
ATEX (the European directive) and IECEx (the international certification scheme) classify by Zone: gas Zone 0 (continuous), 1 (likely in normal operation), 2 (unlikely, short duration); dust Zones 20, 21 and 22 on the same logic. Equipment is marked by group (II = surface industry), category (2G = Zone 1 gas, 2D = Zone 21 dust), protection concept (db flameproof, tb dust by enclosure), gas group (IIA, IIB, IIC, with IIC covering hydrogen and acetylene), temperature class (T6 = maximum surface temperature 185 °F (85 °C)) and equipment protection level (Gb, Db).
| NEC Class/Division (US; CEC existing installations) | Zone (ATEX, IECEx, CEC new Class I) | Hazard presence |
|---|---|---|
| Class I, Division 1 | Zone 0 and Zone 1 (gas) | Continuous or likely in normal operation |
| Class I, Division 2 | Zone 2 (gas) | Abnormal conditions only, short duration |
| Class II, Division 1 | Zone 20 and Zone 21 (dust) | Continuous or likely in normal operation |
| Class II, Division 2 | Zone 22 (dust) | Abnormal conditions only |
The equivalence is for orientation only; the area classification drawing and the AHJ decide what a location is and which mark is acceptable on it.
What a certificate actually covers (and what it does not)
A certificate is issued by a certification body for one product, listing the standards it was tested to, the marking it may carry and any specific conditions of use. The CASE Project Series pages print certificate numbers where they exist. The X suffix means specific conditions of use apply (ambient range, cable entry, grounding, who may open the housing), and those conditions are part of the installation requirement. The marking gives the limits: Ex db IIC T6 Gb is a flameproof enclosure, gas group IIC, T6, Zone 1 and 2; Ex tb IIIC T80°C Db is dust protection by enclosure, conductive dust, a maximum surface temperature of 176 °F (80 °C), Zone 21 and 22; op is and op pr cover the optical radiation of a fiber link.
What the certificate does not cover is where projects fail inspection. It covers the camera, not the cable gland you fit to it, the conduit, the switch enclosure, a mount you drilled, or a housing opened on site by the wrong procedure. It is issued under ATEX or IECEx, the markings printed for these SKUs; whether a specific US or Canadian site accepts them, or requires a certification mark issued under North American standards, is decided by the owner’s engineer and the AHJ; put that question in the pre-bid RFI. Icons and marking graphics in the catalog are not certificates.
Stainless housings, enclosures and glands
Every camera in the line prints Stainless Steel 304 or 316L. 304 suits most indoor process areas; 316L, with its molybdenum content, resists chlorides: coastal and marine sites, water and wastewater, chemical plants and anywhere de-icing salt reaches the housing.
The accessories carry their own markings and are part of the certified installation. CSP-110 EX is the compact junction enclosure, printed at 7.4 × 7.4 × 3.3 in (187×187×84 mm), IP66, IP68 and IP69, with cable outlets of 4 × M25 / G3/4 / NPT3/4 (NPT 3/4 is the North American thread) and a voltage row that runs from DC12V to AC100–240V and PoE++ (48VDC). CSP-300 EX is the large enclosure, inner usable size 9.1 × 9.1 × 4.7 in (230×230×120 mm), ambient −40 °F to 140 °F (−40 °C to +60 °C), with its own certificate (Presafe 17 ATEX 11327X, IECEx PRE 18.0010X). CSP-G EX is the stainless cable gland, IP68, threads M20 to M32; washer tank, flexible tube, cooled housings and the stainless mount complete the line. The gland is the item most often rejected at inspection: it must match the entry thread, the cable construction and the protection concept, so it is quoted with the camera.
The CASE Project Series explosion-proof line (project-quoted)
Six cameras are printed, all Intelligent series, all stainless steel. Rows are as printed in the 2027 Q1 catalog; the spec sheet governs, and nothing here commits to availability, certificate, lead time or warranty term.
| SKU | Imager and lens (printed) | Protection | Certification rows (printed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| CSP-I8PS EX-I-2.7-13.5mm | 8MP fixed AI bullet (3840×2160@20fps), 2.7–13.5 mm, IR 262 ft (80 m) | IP66, IP68 (6.6 ft (2 m), 2 h), IP69 | DNV 22 ATEX 51565X, IECEx DNV 22.0097X; Ex db IIC T6 Gb / Ex tb IIIC T80°C Db |
| CSP-I8MS EX I-2.7-13.5mm | 8MP fixed AI (3840×2160), motorized 2.7–13.5 mm | IP66, IP68 (6.6 ft (2 m), 2 h) | DNV 21 ATEX 24764X, IECEx DNV 21.0047X; markings with and without optical fiber |
| CSP-P49S EX-63X | 4MP 63x PTZ (2560×1440@30fps), 5.7–359 mm, IR 984 ft (300 m) | IP68 (6.6 ft (2 m), 2 h) | Presafe 17 ATEX 11328X, IECEx PRE 18.0030X; II 2G Ex db op is IIC T6 Gb |
| CSP-P49S EXT-63X | 4MP 63x PTZ plus 640×480 thermal (17 µm), IR 984 ft (300 m) | IP68 (3.9 ft (1.2 m), 45 min) | IEC/EN60079; II 2G Ex db IIC T6 Gb; no certificate number printed |
| CSP-P47S EX-63X | 4MP 63x PTZ (2560×1440@30fps), 5.7–359 mm, IR 984 ft (300 m) | IP68 | Mark 2460 II 2G Ex db IIC T6 Gb; EN/IEC 60079-0, -1, -31; no certificate number printed |
| CSP-I384 EXT I-7/13/25mm | 384×288 VOx fixed thermal, 7 / 13 / 25 mm, NETD ≤40mK, temperature −4 °F to 302 °F (−20 to +150 °C) / 32 °F to 1,022 °F (0 to +550 °C) | IP66 / IP68 (6.6 ft (2 m), 2 h) / IP69; defroster and wiper | ATEX and IECEx certified; Gas Zone 1 and 2 / Dust Zone 21 and 22; power 12VDC / 24V AC/DC / 100–240VAC / PoE++ |
Two PTZs print standards and markings but no certificate number: ask for the certificate document before the SKU goes into a submittal. Only CSP-I384 EXT I-7/13/25mm prints an operating range, −40 °F to 140 °F (−40 °C to +60 °C); for the others the ambient limit comes from the spec sheet and the conditions of use. The rest of the Project Series follows the same quoting rules, described in the CASE Project Series overview.
How quoting works: documents first, then the number
Explosion-proof work is quoted backwards from the paperwork. A model number and a quantity get a question list back; the list below gets a written confirmation. Bring us the opportunity before you say no.
- Area classification drawing from the owner’s engineer: Class/Division or Zone, gas or dust group, temperature class, per camera position.
- Acceptance basis: does the site accept ATEX/IECEx certificates, or does it require a North American certification mark? Ask in the pre-bid RFI (see how to read a video surveillance RFP).
- Ambient range and mounting: sun load and process heat at each position (which decide whether a cooled housing is needed), height, structure, hot-work permit rules, who may open an Ex housing on site.
- Cable entry and wiring method: NPT or metric threads, armored cable or conduit, gland type, fiber or copper, and where the switch sits (outside the classified area, or in a certified enclosure such as CSP-110 EX).
- Power available: PoE++, 24 V or 100–240 VAC, matched to the printed power rows.
- Documentation required at submittal: certificates, spec sheets, conditions of use and compliance letters; the per-SKU documentation pack is assembled per project.
- Schedule: the required delivery date, so lead time is confirmed against it.
What comes back is a written confirmation per SKU: the certificate documents that exist, availability and lead time, and the warranty term for that project. Until then the proposal says “project-quoted, confirmed in writing” and nothing more, even where the catalog page prints a badge.
What to tell your customer
“Your classified areas need cameras certified for that classification, and the certificate is issued per model, so we confirm the exact units, their certificates and the delivery time in writing before we quote them. The enclosure, glands and conduit are part of that certified installation and are specified together. Acceptance of the certification basis sits with your engineer and the inspector; we put that question to them before the bid.”
FAQ
Is an ATEX or IECEx explosion proof camera accepted on a US or Canadian site?
Only the owner’s engineer and the authority having jurisdiction can say. The NEC (US) and the CEC (Canada) govern the installation; some owners accept IECEx certificates for specific projects, others require a certification mark issued under North American standards. Ask in the pre-bid RFI, then bring the answer to Anabon for written confirmation of the documents available per SKU.
What is the difference between Class 1 Division 2 and Zone 2?
Both describe a gas or vapor area where the hazard appears only under abnormal conditions, for a short time. Class I, Division 2 is the NEC term used in the US and on existing Canadian installations; Zone 2 is the ATEX, IECEx and CEC Section 18 term. The equivalence is for orientation only; the area classification drawing and the AHJ decide.
What does Ex db IIC T6 Gb mean on a camera?
Ex db is a flameproof enclosure that contains an internal ignition. IIC is the most demanding gas group, covering hydrogen and acetylene. T6 is the temperature class, a maximum surface temperature of 185 °F (85 °C). Gb is the equipment protection level for Zone 1 and Zone 2. The marking is printed on the CSP-I8PS EX-I-2.7-13.5mm page; a submittal needs the certificate document.
Do CASE explosion proof cameras carry a warranty term?
Not one stated in advance. The CASE Project Series (every CSP- SKU) is project-quoted: availability, certificates, lead time and the warranty term are confirmed in writing per project before they are promised, even where a catalog page prints a badge. The 6-year term of standard CASE cameras and NVRs and the 3-year term of CASE PTZ cameras do not transfer to CSP- items.
