One of the world’s leading design and manufacturers of large aquaria was recently looking for simple electrical connection systems to provide secure, waterproof protection. Traditional industrial connectors are extremely bulky which is compromising to a tank’s aesthetics and time consuming to install. Fortunately Hylec-APL, a leading UK electrical component manufacturer and supply specialist, was able to offer a discreet, simple IP68 plug and socket solution which fitted their requirements perfectly.

Around the world large aquarium systems are becoming more and more popular. Many new luxury hotels and restaurants specify intricately lighted installations to create a calming effect for their guests. Wealthy private collectors are also enjoying the latest technology; a super-yacht without a built in aquarium is barely worth talking about after all. As costly as these aquatic life support units can be, it pales into insignificance when compared to the value of some of the tropical fish that they keep alive.

It is well known that electricity and water doesn’t mix; when designing an aquatic system it is vital to get the electrical systems right first time. A large aquarium can potentially house many hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of rare aquatic life. Many aquariums are tasked with maintaining an extremely precise habitat and the loss of this can quickly result in the death of its residents. Connections need to be well protected with high IP ratings to prevent failure.

In order to guarantee the performance levels that are necessary for the application, many designers specify large industrial plug and socket systems. These are often cumbersome components that require a time consuming tooling process to install and connect. One leading UK based aquarium designer was convinced that there must be a more efficient solution.

“I have always considered the large industrial plugs that are commonly used to be too big for the job. An aquarium is an aesthetic design, often complementing beautiful surroundings, and as such bulky components can be extremely awkward. They are also costly and time consuming to install making them far from ideal. We started searching for a smaller plug and socket solution with high IP protection and low installation time.”

Fortunately Hylec-APL was able to offer a solution that met all of the designer’s needs. It was able to supply a plug and socket connector from its patented weatherproof TEE family of products. The TEEPLUG range is available with a variety of ingress protection levels which allows customers to specify according to their needs. The highest IP68 rated models ensure protection when totally submerged in water to depths of up to 50 metres.

They are inline connectors comprising of two parts, a male and female, which allows customers to pre-wire the product in house, reducing installation times and minimising errors on-site. The higher IP rated products use a double seal arrangement to achieve the ingress protection, an o-ring seal on the male part of the socket and an end seal in the female side. The connector has a close tolerance fit and then a simple twist lock collar or screw down cover to secure the connection.

The extremely versatile range includes panel/chassis mount options for use with enclosures or bulkheads up to IP68 and a combined chassis/in-line unit with 3 poles up to IP68. The products vary in size, with 2 to 6 pole connection available; dimensions range from 90 to 130mm long (when closed).

Terry Spriggs, Product Marketing Manager for Hylec-APL, comments: “We were approached to supply a solution that would offer discreet and quick installation while maintaining high levels of ingress protection. Our weather proof range of products is one of the most comprehensive on the market and we were able to supply the TEEPLUG to meet all of their needs.”

Photo Captions

Picture 1: The highest IP68 rated models ensure protection when totally submerged in water to depths of up to 50metres.

Picture 2: The TEEPLUG range is available with a variety of ingress protection levels which allows customers to specify according to their needs.

Picture 3: Hylec-APL met all of the designer’s needs, supplying a plug and socket connector from its patented TEE family range.