×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Need a watertight electrical bulkhead connection

Need a watertight electrical bulkhead connection

Need a watertight electrical bulkhead connection

(OP)
I'm designing a waterproof electrical housing and am trying to figuring out how to get a sensor wire and possibly a antenna wire out of the housing with out it leaking while under a possible pressure of 500 psi. I have found some aerospace applications but the price is far to high.

I've looked into glands, but ideally I would like to be able to quickly disconnect the connection. I was thinking about a simple spade type connection on the bulkhead.

Any recommendations would be appreciated. I'm liking not using the correct key words in my searches.

Mike  

RE: Need a watertight electrical bulkhead connection

500 psi is going to cost you.

Google for "hermetic electrical connector" for plenty of options.

RE: Need a watertight electrical bulkhead connection


You might want to look at Burton connectors. We used them extensivly when I worked in the sub-sea business.... never had any problems down to 4000 meters. If you choose to use a gland Pepper Glands work well.

www.burtonee.com/products.html
www.cableglands.com

Mike.

RE: Need a watertight electrical bulkhead connection

(OP)
I haven't looked in to burton yet, looks like I'll have to give them a call. Unfortunately, the customer for the project requires the 500 psi. I'm hoping to change his mind if I can find a lower priced alternative with acceptable results. Thanks for the help.
  

RE: Need a watertight electrical bulkhead connection

(OP)
I've been tossing around the idea of an feeding the wires through a 3/8" hole and then filling the cavity with epoxy or similar resin and allowing it to harden. I'm hoping this would provide a leak-proof and cost effective solution. Has anyone ever tried something like this or do you see any potential problems.  

I really appreciate any input.


Mike

RE: Need a watertight electrical bulkhead connection

Epoxy does not bond well to most common wire insulation material.

RE: Need a watertight electrical bulkhead connection

(OP)
That was a concern I had. A possible solution was to use non insulated solid copper wire.   

RE: Need a watertight electrical bulkhead connection

Home made "cheap" solutions are invariably more costly in the long run that using an "expensive" proven commercially available system.

How much will it cost you in warranty repair or replacements and bad will when your seal fails?

RE: Need a watertight electrical bulkhead connection

1) Find a proven solution for 500 psi, regardless of cost.  Dcument that cost.

2) You seem to think 500 psi is excessive; find other solutions for what you think is an appropriate pressure (hopefully with lower costs).

Make a simple report/presentation from the data above for your customer and let him decide.  If he sticks by the 500 psi, it's his money.  You will have performed due diligance.

RE: Need a watertight electrical bulkhead connection

Try the Kemlon connectors.  I've used them past 15k psi.

Other than that, you wuld need the Conax Buffalo type sockets, potted wires inside a steel jacket, threaded into the bulkhead on an NPT pin.

Kenneth J Hueston, PEng
Principal
Sturni-Hueston Engineering Inc
Edmonton, Alberta Canada

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources