Modern Connectors for Harsh Environments

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Modern electronic systems are being used for more applications and in more demanding environments than ever before. From agriculture to sporting equipment, electronic devices have found their way into every sector of our society.

Connectors play a large part in ensuring that devices resist the elements while delivering the reliability that customers demand. Creating products for harsh environments requires knowledge of how water can affect sensitive electronics. 

Water itself is not necessarily the enemy of electronics. Pure water is non-corrosive and non-conductive, so theoretically, it poses no risks to electronic devices. However, water is never genuinely pure, and the contaminants found within water create the potential for damage.

Almost all sources of water contain chemicals or particles of some kind. Tap water contains disinfectants and other chemicals to prevent bacterial growth and keep the water fit to drink. Even rainwater carries anything from the dust of far-distant volcanoes to the chemical output of factories and other industrial processes.

As a result, water can become electrically conductive, and this conductivity poses the greatest risk to electronic devices. Water can connect an electrical circuit's elements and send current into places that it should not go. This can result in everything from unwanted signals to overloaded circuits and, in extreme circumstances, dangerously high voltages.

Engineers will go to great lengths to protect their design against water. Harsh environment connectors are combined with sealed boxes and other components to provide a waterproof enclosure to house vulnerable electronic components. Yet, not all designs deliver the same level of protection.

It is vital to design equipment to suit its intended environment. There is a difference in the protection required for light rain showers versus full immersion. There is also a significant difference between static and dynamic pressure. A device designed for a field-based application, where it will be immersed in a muddy puddle for months, may not be able to resist a high-pressure jet wash used to clean a tractor.

To help designers choose the right components, manufacturers have adopted the international system known as IP ratings. IP stands for Ingress Protection, and the system provides a shorthand that helps engineers understand the right choice for their design.

An IP rating is formed by combining two digits that describe the protection provided. The first digit indicates the size of solid foreign particles against which protection is provided. The highest rating is 6, which denotes dust-tight protection.

The second digit describes the level of water protection provided. The most frequently used rating for connectors is IP67, which protects against everyday dust and grime and limited immersion in water. IP67-rated connectors are ideal for outdoor applications subjected to wind and rain, such as CCTV cameras mounted to buildings.

However, for installations that require a higher performance, the IP68 rating provides protection against long-term immersion in water. Equipment destined for the military or agricultural industries are prime examples of this product type.

Recent years have seen increased use of the newer IP69K classification. Products with the IP69K rating are protected against high-pressure sprays, such as those used to wash equipment. This increased level of protection has found many applications in the industrial arena, where machinery is subjected to aggressive cleaning. It also provides a solution for connectors in transportation industries, where movement and harsh road conditions demand high protection.

Military equipment must work in some of the harshest environments on Earth, whether it is the heat of the tropics or the cold of the Arctic. As such, military connectors are designed to work in extremely challenging conditions. The protection features in these conditions make them attractive for the industrial user. However, the high-specification materials of the military circular connector and the extreme testing to which they are subjected are often not needed for the industrial environment.

To deliver the same performance for industrial users, Amphenol Sine Systems has developed the ecomate® Aquarius™ Series of waterproof connectors (Figure 1). Derived from the tried-and-trusted MIL-DTL-26482 family of military circular connectors, the ecomate® Aquarius™ replaces the traditional metal shell with a high-impact thermoplastic material. This delivers a lightweight and lower-cost alternative to military connectors for various applications.

Figure 1: ecomate® Aquarius™ Series Waterproof Connectors (Source: Amphenol)

The ecomate® circular, multiway connectors can be fitted with machined or stamped and formed contacts, allowing the designer to choose the most cost-effective solution for their application. The connector retains the reliable bayonet-locking mechanism of the MIL-DTL-26482 and provides the same level of environmental protection, sealed to IP68 and IP69K.

Available in a range of sizes and circuit counts, the ecomate® Aquarius™ Series can deliver power, signal, and even data to equipment in the harshest conditions. Ideal for applications in the energy, transportation, telecom, and HVAC industries, the ecomate® Aquarius™ connectors are a modern take on a trusted connector design.

There is a critical need for effective water ingress protection in modern electronic systems across various industries. Connectors and IP ratings ensure the durability and reliability of devices in challenging conditions. The introduction of Amphenol Sine Systems' ecomate® Aquarius™ Series represents a significant advancement in providing robust and versatile solutions, marrying military-grade protection with the practical needs of industrial applications.