The Allen-Bradley Bulletin 800R is a 30.5 mm push-button station engineered specifically for Class I and II Division 2 and Zone 2 hazardous locations — areas where flammable gases, vapours, or combustible dusts are present only under abnormal conditions, not during normal operation. It is explicitly not rated for Division 1 locations where explosive atmospheres exist continuously; for those environments, Bulletin 800H Type 7 & 9 explosion-proof stations are required.

What makes the 800R suitable for Division 2?

The key differentiator from standard push-button stations is the hermetically sealed contact block. Unlike conventional open-frame contacts that could act as an ignition source if exposed to a transient gas release, the sealed switch and Logic Reed contact blocks contain any internal arc within a hermetically sealed envelope. Combined with NEMA 4X/IP66 enclosure protection, the 800R prevents both external contaminant ingress and internal arc propagation — the two simultaneous failures a Division 2 device must address. Dielectric strength is 2200V for one minute (1300V for Logic Reed variants).

Which operators and enclosures are available?

The 800R covers the full range of standard Bulletin 800H operators: flush and extended push buttons, mushroom head (momentary and maintained), push-pull and push-pull/twist-to-release emergency stop actuators, 2-position and 3-position selector switches, and pilot lights. Enclosures are offered in painted steel, stainless steel, or glass-filled polyester (Rosite) in configurations from single-operator to six-unit stations with 3/4-inch NPT conduit entry. Factory-assembled stations ship pre-wired and tested; component-level ordering supports field assembly for custom layouts. Mechanical life reaches 1,000,000 cycles for momentary non-illuminated operators.

What are the electrical design limits?

Contacts carry a 10 A continuous thermal rating with pilot duty classifications of A600 (AC-15) for AC loads and P300 (DC-13) for DC loads. At 600V AC, make capacity is 3600VA and break capacity is 360VA. Sealed switch contact blocks are stackable, allowing N.O. and N.C. configurations within the same operator position. Electrical design life is 1,000,000 operations at maximum rated load (200,000 for Logic Reed variants), providing service life comparable to standard industrial push-button stations operated outside hazardous areas.