Non-PlC related, but looking for help

[SLaubach]

Hi guys-
been a long time since i have posted but i believe someone out there can probably help.

I work in a meat plant that is HEAVILY washed for 4 hrs nightly. In the plant we have several machines that use pin and sleeve connectors to pass along I/O and estop circuits.

the problem that we are haveing is excessive downtime due to water inside the plugs as well as corrosion from the sanitation chemicals.

long story short, i am looking for a solution that would replace the plugs with something more water tight and thought one of you probably has run into this in your careers.

i will post a picture when i figure out how.

all help is greatly appreciated!


regards
SL

 

[Steve Etter]

SLaubach,

I am rather fond of Phoenix Contact's HEAVYCON connectors. I think you should be able to find all the different configurations you might like.

Steve

 

[Bob K]

I've specified connector sets from either of these 2 companies on equipment requiring NEMA 4X for use outside.

http://lumberg-catalog.com/index.html

http://www.connector.com/products_minichange.html

Either of them offer either field rewireable connectors or plastic molded cordsets. I think that the plastic molded cordsets have a better rating due to the fact that they are molded rather than rely upon screwing together pieces (and hoping that the orings seat).

In any event the water proof ratings are only for static conditions (I think for one meter in most cases), in a washdown environment the actual pressure that the connector gets hit with might exceed that rating. Are the connectors partially shielded from the direct effects of the washdown - if not could placing someting to prevent a direct hit from the washdown jet help (just a thought)?

 

[kamenges]

I don't have any experience with this, but...

Are you using that cool silicon grease stuff that automakers use in their pluggable connectors? If you aren't this may help keep water from seeping into the pins and causing corrosion.

Keith

 

[SLaubach]

this is what we are currently using installed by the OEM

 

[rsdoran]

One of the most common connectors for any harsh environment is Amphenol http://www.amphenol.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.list/index.cfm

 

[Eric Nelson]

According to THIS sheet, the Harting Han® connectors only have an IP65 rating (NEMA 13). I wonder if they offer a way to increase the rating?...

Keith's grease suggesting might be enough for your application. I'd give it a shot before replacing ALL your connectors.

beerchug

-Eric

 

[SLaubach]

thanks for everyones input. Do you have more information on the grease? Would anyone recommecd filling the connectors full of silicon or RTV once the wires are terminated?

 

[kamenges]

This link is a Google search for electricval connector grease. There are a few companies listed that might help. Not surprisingly many of the retailers are auto parts stores and trailer manufacterers.

I don't know that I would use standard silicone sealant or RTV. It wouldn't be much fun to dig all that stuff out if you ever had to change something.

Keith

 

[mordred]

I also work in a meat processing plant so I feel your pain. I've had some success with dielectric grease however due to food grade regulations the use of this grease is definetely not something you want too many people to know about. The compound I use is Dow Corning 4 compound. It is silicon based. For the connectors That are extremely high washdown. I've had to either place the connectors into a minimum nema 4p electrical box PVC lasts longer than fibre glass or ABS as the caustic cleanup tends to rot the latter two materials. Or I've used a liquid plastic compound to create a seal that is easily stripped. However I cannot recall the exact brand of plastic. If you look for tool insulating plastics this is the type I've had the most success with. With this I've coated a thin layer around the full connector. If you can place into an electrical box you may want to hunt down some small miniheaters with thermostats. We've had a decrease of 85% downtime in cabinet electrical problems with this minor additions on our worse cabinets.

 

[leitmotif]

Water and electrical

Have entirely given up on any type of connector that will resist water much less soaps and or chlorine disinfectant. This comes from experience as submarine electrician and a boat owner / liveaboard.

Water + electrical connections = electrician job security
water + electrical connections + soaps and or chlorine sanitizers
= BUNCHES of electrician job security.

Best is no connectors exposed to water.

The silicone stuff is OK and does help but will not eliminate problem.
When that does not work you now have to clean out the connector get rid of the silicone, dirt oxidation and all that and hope you still have good pins and sockets that will give good connections.

DO NOT use RTV unless you are willing to take hours to get that stuff out. If you do you may as well Scotch cast the entire male female connector set up and then be ready to cut it out.

Best bet in my mind is a cord (with a couple spare conductors) terminated in water tite boxes to terminal boards. Extend an open ended pipe below the box one or two feet to let water drain. Mount terminals at least 3 to six inches above bottom of box.

Dan Bentler

 

[Eric Nelson]

One possibility to improve the sealing...

The hood and base connectors use what they call a 'profile seal' on the base alone, with no seal on the hood. Harting uses what they call an 'L-seal' for hood to hood connection sealing. You may be able to add these to your hoods to make them more watertight. The added thickness of the second seal might make it a bear to toggle the locking lever(s), but if it keeps the water out...

Go to THIS link (assuming it works), then select "Hood-Accessories" to see pictures of these seals.

beerchug

-Eric

 

[Rod]

I like the idea of the tool handle vinyl dip. just brush on a good coat at the seal line.

Caveat: I've never done it so...

 

[Terry Woods]

When I was a young buck in the electrical field, the old timers used to say, "there are two places that you definitely don't want to work in... a Food Processing plant (you don't want to know how your food is processed!) and a Lumbermill (usually an electrical nightmare!)."

The old timers were right on both counts. Damn! I so loved Strawberries... once! And now I'm in a mill... I know where Murphy lives!
(Gee... I wonder if any of our co-registrants are named Murphy.)

While I worked in the Food Processing Industry we had the same problem... way too much water. That is from the electrical point of view... however, from a consumers point of view there wasn't nearly enough! I will NEVER work in a meat plant... just can't... never... maybe. (I wonder if the first vegetarian was a maintenance guy in a meat plant?)

We used to use a Food-Grade grease, authorized by the FDA. I'll be damned if I can remember the name of it (many moons have gone by). Before closing any condulet that had wire-nuts enclosed, we'd pump the condulet full of that grease. It worked great.

Electrically conductive? Not that we ever found.

But I'll never do that again. What a horrible mess to work on.

My vote is for Ron's suggestion... Amphenol. They have really great, all weather, Mil-Spec (rated for Saltwater Sea-Duty), water-proof connectors that can take the worst treatment that any food plant can offer.

 

[jolio ST]

My last use for heavy duty connectors are those times when I was working in an aerospace company, developing black boxes, and control systems. Like Ron's suggestion, you can also check out this link from Connomac Corp.
Hope this helps.

regards
Sherine T.