Custom Relay Control Panels. Built to Your Specification.

Substation relay panels, recloser controls, and switcher racks — engineered and manufactured to your requirements.

Appleton Control Systems designs and builds relay control panels for electric utilities, co-ops, and municipalities. Whether you need a single recloser panel or a multi-rack substation build-out, we work from your relay specification, your layout requirements, and your project timeline — and we manufacture every panel in Iron Mountain, Michigan.

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Tell us what you need. We respond within one business day.

Manufactured in the USA

Built to your relay and wiring specification

Low-volume and custom orders welcome

Decades of relay panel production experience

Getting the Right Panel Shouldn’t Be This Hard

Sourcing relay control panels for substation work comes with its own set of friction points. Here’s where we make it easier

1. You have a specific relay in mind

Most substations are built around a preferred relay brand or model. We build to your relay selection — not to whatever fits our standard panel.

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2. Every project has slightly different requirements

Test switch count, wiring configuration, panel layout — the details change from job to job. We accommodate those differences rather than asking you to adapt to a standard product.

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3. You need it built right the first time

Panels that arrive with wiring errors or incomplete assemblies create expensive delays at the substation. Every panel we ship is fully wired and tested before it leaves the facility.

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4. Documentation needs to be complete

A panel that arrives without proper drawings and wiring documentation creates problems for your crew in the field. We provide the documentation package your installation team needs.

5. Small orders deserve real engineering attention

Whether you’re ordering one panel or twenty, your project gets a full engineering review, a proper build, and a pre-shipment test. No shortcuts because the order is small.

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6. Lead time matters for your project schedule

We’ll give you a realistic lead time at the start — and communicate clearly if anything changes. No surprises when you’re scheduling a substation outage.

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WHAT WE BUILD

Panel Types We Build

Recloser Control Panels

Control panels housing recloser relays for substation automation and distribution protection. We build to your relay selection and configuration requirements — test switches, wiring, and panel layout per your specification. Face-mounted components, pre-wired and tested before shipment.

Circuit Switcher Panels

Switcher rack assemblies for substation power source changeover and fault isolation. Built to your switching logic requirements with programmable relay integration where specified.

Battery Enclosures and SCADA

Supporting panels for substation DC systems and backup power applications. Designed and wired to your layout and integration requirements.

Custom Relay Rack Assemblies

Multi-function racks, retrofit panels, or configurations combining protection, monitoring, and switching — we work from your specification and build to it. If the application is a bit unusual, that’s the kind of work we do well.

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Specification Options and Ranges We Engineer and Manufacture

Specification	Detail
UL508A	built to UL508A standards
kV range	Medium - High Voltage
NEMA enclosure type	NEMA 1, NEMA 12, NEMA 4X, NEMA 3R, Plus Open Enclosures, Custom to your project
Relay brands	SEL, Eaton, ABB
Panel Width	19” Rack Panels, 24” Rack Panel, Plus Custom Sized if Needed
Lead time	Typically 10-16 Weeks from Consult to Delivery & Install
We build	ANSI 250, CSA C22.2, UL 67-2018, NEC Standards

Engineering Experience You Can Rely On

Appleton Control Systems brings hands-on relay panel production experience to every project. Our team has worked in this space at scale — we know how these panels are specified, how they need to be wired, and what causes problems during substation installation. That background informs how we review your requirements, ask the right clarifying questions, and build panels that perform the way you need them to.

Integrated electrical engineering

We don’t just assemble to drawings. Our team reviews your specification, identifies any gaps before the build begins, and flags anything that needs resolution — so the panel that ships is the panel you need.

Wired, tested, and documented

Every panel is fully wired, functionally tested, and shipped with complete wiring documentation. Your installation crew gets what they need to complete the job efficiently.

Built for projects that need flexibility

Relay panel specifications aren’t always finalized on day one. If your requirements evolve during the project — different test switch configuration, layout adjustment, revised relay selection — we can accommodate changes without derailing the build. We’re structured for that kind of collaborative, iterative work.

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Relay Panels for Utilities of Every Size

We work with electric utilities, contractors, and facility operators across a range of applications and order sizes. If you need a custom relay panel built to a specific specification, we can help.

Electric cooperatives

Regional and rural co-ops managing their own substation infrastructure. Often sourcing one to four panels per project.

Municipal utilities

City and county power providers running independent distribution systems. Need panels built to specific relay and configuration requirements.

Regional electric utilities

Mid-sized investor-owned utilities and independent operators sourcing for substation upgrades and expansions.

Utility contractors & EPC firms

Engineering and construction firms specifying substation equipment on behalf of utility clients.

From Specification to Substation

Here’s what the process looks like when you work with ACS.

1. Engineering conversation

Tell us what you’re building: relay model(s), test switch requirements, panel configuration, voltage class, and project timeline. We’ll ask the questions that clarify the specification before any commitment is made.

2. Requirements review

We confirm scope, resolve any open items in the spec, and provide a formal quote with lead time and pricing.

3. Build and test

We fabricate and wire the panel to your specification, then perform a full pre-shipment functional test and wiring inspection.

4. Delivery and documentation

Panels ship complete with wiring documentation. We’re available to support questions during installation and commissioning.

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Tell Us What You’re Building

Have a relay specification ready? Have a project in early planning? Either way, fill out the form and an engineer will follow up within one business day. We’ll ask a few questions to understand your application — no pressure, no sales pitch.

This is a technical conversation, not a sales call. We’ll ask the right questions and give you a straight answer.

We respond within one business day.