Oceans may be the harshest naturally occurring environments on the planet. Constant, unrelenting exposure to temperature extremes, salt air and spray, moisture and the pounding of turbulent seas are what separate marine operations challenges from those of land-based operations.
Freshwater lakes and rivers also offer unique and challenging conditions that must be addressed. And the ships and platforms that operate in these extreme conditions can’t afford to be offline or shut down, even for a few hours. Choosing the correct electronic connector addresses these factors upfront so you don’t have to address them later, when they fail.
Saltwater is corrosive and continuous exposure can lead to connector component breakdown and ultimately connection failure. Even freshwater, over time, can break down connector shells and insert materials that can be harsh to wires and other components. This is why using waterproof wire connectors is imperative.
Heavy seas pose another challenge to secure connections…constant and extraordinary vibration conditions. High vibration can loosen connections thereby reducing performance or can cause a total disconnect shutting down operations.
And there’s no avoiding a wet environment when operating on or near water. Whether it is direct water contact, splashes and spray, or humidity, everything will always be wet…all the time. Any water ingress into the connector jeopardizes performance and operational uptime.
Seeking a truly waterproof connection can be tough. Many have tried and used wire butt connectors, also known as butt splice connectors. However, this option of crimping wires together does not create an optimal seal.
The correct waterproof wire connectors or cable gland/strain relief components will protect your equipment from the effects of harsh marine conditions, help maintain performance levels and keep operations on-line.
ElectroShield stocks a variety of circular connectors and cable management product series from world-class manufacturers who design-in this protection. My customers have used durable, reliable Conxall products when designing for harsh environment applications:
Multi-Con-X harsh environment connectors are made in the USA.
These waterproof circular plastic connectors (CPC) are sealed to IP67/IP69K and are lightweight, corrosion resistant, and non-conductive.
Operating temperature ratings -40°C to + 85°C (-40°F to +185°F).
Salt spray atmosphere (corrosion) testing to 300 hours when mated.
Coupling rings have an overriding locking feature to prevent loosening or separation of connector making them perfect for high-vibration applications.
Don’t drown in a sea of electronic connector choices. My teammates and I are connector experts. We are standing by to help navigate you to the precise connector or cable management components for your application and operating conditions and away from inferior products that offer less protection than needed. We make it easy to work with us. Call in by phone at (800) 662-1054, email sales@electroshield.com or order at your convenience via our website. We're here to help!