As reported by Connector Tips in their article “When should you use sealed connectors?” any time a connector needs to be protected from its operating environment, one should consider using sealed connectors. There are two types of sealing available: hermetic sealing and environmental sealing. Hermetic seals use materials like glass, ceramic, or epoxy to create a compression seal, making them suitable for high-pressure applications such as military, aerospace, and deep offshore environments.
Environmental seals protect against contaminants like water, dust, and dirt, ensuring the electrical performance of the contacts. These are commonly used in mobile machinery, marine, and on-highway vehicles. Environmental seals use an interface seal to prevent contaminants from entering the connection area. In low-temperature applications requiring repeated mating and unmating, O-ring seals made from materials like fluoropolymers and ethylene propylene rubber are often used.
Understanding the application’s requirements is crucial when selecting a connector. IP ratings indicate the level of protection against dust (first number, 1-6) and liquid immersion (second number, 1-8). For example, both IP67 and IP68 connectors withstand dust ingress, but IP67 can be submerged to 1 meter for 30 minutes, while IP68 can withstand deeper immersion, with the depth specified by the manufacturer.
Leveraging these advanced sealing techniques to deliver high-quality, reliable connectors for various demanding applications. Whether for high-pressure environments or protection against environmental contaminants.
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Article with all rights reserved, courtesy of connectortips.com