Small 2 pin in-line waterproof electrical connectors?

Ian_Edwards

Ian_Edwards

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As the title suggests I'm looking for physically small, two pin, in-line, waterproof, electrical connectors.

The need to handle a nominal 12volts and about 100ma. They will be connected in dry conditions, but need to withstand immersion to a 1m or so.

Can anyone recommend suitable connectors?
 
Superseal, perhaps?

Free-Shipping-2-sets-font-b-Kit-b-font-2-Pin-Way-font-b-AMP-b.jpg


The wire entries have rubber seals, but you can also use adhesive-lined heatshrink over the back of the plug (note the barb for the purpose) and the cable jacket to make an impervious outer layer.

I'd pack it with Contralube as well just in case.

Pete
 
Thanks for the rapid response.

The Bulgin mini connectors are really to big, 26mm diameter and about 120mm long when connected together.

The Superseal connectors look great, they are smaller than the Bulgin and very low cost, I'll but a few and see how well they work.
 
Ian_Edwards said:
The Superseal connectors look great, they are smaller than the Bulgin and very low cost, I'll but a few and see how well they work.
Click to expand...

Do be aware that you'll also need to buy a special crimp tool (the cheap flat version is fine) to fit the pins on the conductors.

Pete
 
prv said:
Do be aware that you'll also need to buy a special crimp tool (the cheap flat version is fine) to fit the pins on the conductors.
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Ah. That would have been useful to know ;) I found them very fiddly to construct, but they worked well on my roving PV panel.
 
Ian_Edwards said:
I have ratchet crimping tool with interchangeable jaws, so I guess one of the many jaws supplied will work.
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Should work, even if you have to crimp the core and insulation in two separate steps. They're small "bumcheek crimps" of different sizes; the proper tool has two dies next to each other to do them in one step. I don't know whether it's specific to Superseal or would be found in a standard set.

Pete
 
prv said:
I don't know whether it's specific to Superseal or would be found in a standard set.

Pete
Click to expand...
Superseal pins are just standard open barrel crimp terminals, the smallest die on the crimp tool is perfect for them. That said Superseal connectors (even genuine ones, cheap ones are not) are rated at IP65 and unsuitable for the OPs spec, what he needs (as I read from his post) is something suited to temporary immersion to 1m, i.e, IP67 and under such circumstances I would be looking at Deutch with the correct seal size for the cable used, certainly not Superseal, economical and simple to use though they are for general on board use.
 
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Thanks for the additional information.
I intend to use them to connect my new pulpit and pushpit Aqua Signal series 34 LED nav lights.
I have back-up nav lights in case the main nav lights fail, and I'm looking for a quick way to change them over.
The back-up lights are mounted on plywood bases shaped so that they can be quickly lashed onto the pulpit and pushpit.
I've carried back-up nav light for years. This year (for the first time) I needed to use the port nav light back-up, when the port Series 40 light failed when I was cruising around Orkney. It was a real pain to change the power supply over, the light was connected using spade terminals which had been encapsulated in self amalgamating tape. Not easy to change at night, at sea, and in the rain.
When I took the series 40 apart, it had failed because to internal corrosion, salt water had got into the lamp and corroded the connects between the bulb and the supply.
The 1m immersion depth is my guess at what the connector needs to be good for to keep the electrical connection sound.
We've had some solid green water over the foredeck this year!
 
Ian_Edwards said:
Thanks for the additional information.
We've had some solid green water over the foredeck this year!
Click to expand...

In which case you should be looking at IP66 rated products, best practise to go one up rather than down though so my initial thoughts stand, that is to say Ss are not up to your requirements, even AMP ones, cheap copies of which market is full are certainly not.
 
David2452 said:
In which case you should be looking at IP66 rated products, best practise to go one up rather than down though so my initial thoughts stand, that is to say Ss are not up to your requirements, even AMP ones, cheap copies of which market is full are certainly not.
Click to expand...

I'd tend to agree - they'd probably be fine, but why take the risk. I used Superseals inside the binnacle, above the headlining, and so on. Not in an exposed position on deck.

Pete
 
Indeed, please, nobody see my advice as criticism of Superseals, they are an extremely good and economical solution for disconnects on board, I have boxes of the things from one to 6 way and use them extensively.
 
Ian_Edwards said:
So, being a little confused here, would these do the job?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Deutsch-D...06-/131524014918?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

and if not what would?
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Deutsch do not publish an IP rating for its connectors, however they do state that they have a three foot submersion rating which is very close to the submersion criteria for IP 67, to attain this it is however vital that you use the correct size rear seals for the cable diameter, the EBay ones may or may not by coincidence have the correct size rear seals but in any case they are easily available separately.
 
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David2452 said:
Deutsch do not publish an IP rating for its connectors, however they do state that they have a three foot submersion rating which is very close to the submersion criteria for IP 67, to attain this it is however vital that you use the correct size rear seals for the cable diameter, the EBay ones may or may not by coincidence have the correct size rear seals but in any case they are easily available separately.
Click to expand...

Thanks David2452, I'll do a little more search on-line, when I've measured the cables sizes, they are quite different, the series 34 comes with cables attached, and they are fairly small (designed for 100ma), whilst the existing cabling on the boat are quite large (designed for a couple of amps).
 
SAAB/Seaeye Marine of Fareham manufacture a range of connectors for the ROV market named "Metal Shell". They are superb.
 
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