The advantages of remotely mounting a compressor control panel far outweigh the disadvantages, but when hazardous conditions are not a factor, user preference takes priority.
When dealing with a hazardous area where explosive gases will always be present such as a Class 1, DIV 1 environment, there are only two choices as far as control panels are concerned.
1. Mount the control panel to the compressor skid and utilize hazardous area rated panels (NEMA 7 for example) and components to handle the dangerous location.
2. Remote mount the controller away in a non-hazardous area.
Cost is always a factor in large capital purchases such as compressor systems. More often than not, remotely mounting a control panel is far less expensive than designing/building a control panel for a hazardous environment. Standard panels and components are far less expensive than hazardous rated enclosures. Specific glands or sealed conduit must be employed for wiring, but once again, the cost of the wire and glands is almost always much lower than mounting the panel to the compressor skid in a Class 1, DIV 1 environment.
Combine the advantage of lower costs with ease of use and remotely mounting a control panel is all but a done deal. Of course user preference always comes into play. Some end-users prefer to have a control panel mounted directly to the compressor skid, while others like to have a separate control room. In either case, Hycomp engineers have the skills necessary to assist in keeping your operators and process safe.