Uses

• Watertight pin-and-sleeve connectors allow workers to seal power connections from the environment, particularly from environments that are continuously damp. These connectors are the perfect choice to insulate power delivery cables from exposure to chemicals, factory grime, moisture and general dirt. Watertight pin-and-sleeve connectors are also used to prevent accidental disconnect under load and to ensure the presence of high-strength durability.
  
  

Various Types

• A number of various watertight pin-and-sleeve connectors exist. The original watertight connectors were metal-housed products. A number of nonstandard plastic watertight pin-and-sleeve connectors also exist, but are not always compatible with every vendor's products. The latest watertight pin-and-sleeve connectors are standardized products. These watertight connectors are compliant with the International Electrotechnical Commission 309 standards. Such IEC 309-compliant products meet global standards regardless of who the manufacturer was and therefore ensure compatibility with other products. Although the IEC 309 specifies all technical requirements for watertight pin-and-sleeve products, they do not run tests on these products to ensure that the standards are followed. Such testing is left to national testing organizations.
  
  

Design

• Nonstandard watertight pin-and-sleeve connectors vary greatly in design. It is therefore important to confirm compatibility prior to purchase. Essential points to consider include whether the pin-and-sleeve connectors have tapered or funnelled wiring pockets. Another important compatibility feature relates to the screw heads being on the same side. The plugs and connectors will also need the wrenching surfaces to be compatible. Non-compatibility of any of these features will make for installation problems and affect the overall reliability of the installation.
  
  

Terminations and Seals

• Watertight pin-and-sleeve connectors are easy to size. Most are available in a design that allows the seal to be removed in layers. This makes it straightforward to fit the size of wire that is required for the specific application. These connectors have threaded pieces that tighten down on the seals for easy tightening. Funneled channels in the wiring terminations allow for easy separation and insertion of the wires, while preventing individual strands of the wire from shorting between conductors.