Thanks for the reference. The closest thing I found to that was
something roughly similar for what we call Romex wire -- flattish, vinyl
insulated three-conductor (called two conductor with ground) wire used
for house wiring. I'm not sure it was weatherproof, though. It would be
harder to seal something of that shape than it would to seal something
round.

I suspect that the part you referenced is uncommon here because of the
larger gauge of our house wiring due to the lower distribution voltage.
Wire smaller than AWG14 (SWG15) isn't used except for lamp and appliance
cords and the like, never for fixed wiring. The AWG14 or 12 wire used
for house wiring is virtually always in flat Romex cable. (Four
conductor 220 volt wire is round but large diameter.) Interior wiring is
secured to boxes with clamps which are definitely not weatherproof.
Exterior wiring is virtually always in conduit between boxes. I found a
number of weatherproof clamp-type fittings for conduit, with similar
construction to the Farnell part, but the inner diameter is much too
large for the small cable I'll be using. It's been a long time since I
looked carefully at the code, but I'd be very surprised if exterior
wiring is permitted outside of conduit under any circumstances.

Maybe I should just send my 42p to Farnell. . . Hm, better yet, there's
a cottage in Wales we've been told needs beta testing, so maybe we can
kill two birds with one stone. . .

I'll check the electronics store. Maybe someone imports them and sells
them for other applications.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

Ian White, G3SEK wrote:

These things have GOT to exist in the USA, but clearly the name is
different.

They are used with metal conduit-and-box wiring systems, wherever you
want to bring a flexible cable out through the wall of a conduit box
with better waterproofing than a plain grommet.

Go to www.farnell.com/uk and search for part # 3034367 - click for
details and this should give a reasonable picture.

The outside of the fixed part looks rather like a through-bulkhead
double female N connector. It goes through the box wall, with some kind
of O-ring seal, and is fixed with a single large nut. The cable threads
through the inside, and is sealed by a rubber ring and a screw-down cap.
Result - a completely waterproof lead-through.

All together now: "Oh, ya mean a [Fill In The Blank] - why didn't ya
*say* so?"

Anyway, the whole point was that these [FITB] things are available in
cheap plastic, and are ideal for getting cables through the walls of
plastic or metal boxes in a totally waterproof way. You can install
in-line connectors on the 'tails' of cable if necessary, and they make a
very easy shape to wrap with waterproofing tape.

This is vastly better than installing chassis-mount connectors on the
box wall, and then trying to wrap tape onto a very difficult shape.

On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 03:07:58 -0700, Roy Lewallen
wrote:

Thanks for the reference. The closest thing I found to that was
something roughly similar for what we call Romex wire -- flattish, vinyl
insulated three-conductor (called two conductor with ground) wire used
for house wiring. I'm not sure it was weatherproof, though. It would be
harder to seal something of that shape than it would to seal something
round.

I suspect that the part you referenced is uncommon here because of the
larger gauge of our house wiring due to the lower distribution voltage.
Wire smaller than AWG14 (SWG15) isn't used except for lamp and appliance
cords and the like, never for fixed wiring. The AWG14 or 12 wire used
for house wiring is virtually always in flat Romex cable. (Four
conductor 220 volt wire is round but large diameter.) Interior wiring is
secured to boxes with clamps which are definitely not weatherproof.
Exterior wiring is virtually always in conduit between boxes. I found a
number of weatherproof clamp-type fittings for conduit, with similar
construction to the Farnell part, but the inner diameter is much too
large for the small cable I'll be using. It's been a long time since I
looked carefully at the code, but I'd be very surprised if exterior
wiring is permitted outside of conduit under any circumstances.

Maybe I should just send my 42p to Farnell. . . Hm, better yet, there's
a cottage in Wales we've been told needs beta testing, so maybe we can
kill two birds with one stone. . .

I'll check the electronics store. Maybe someone imports them and sells
them for other applications.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

Ian White, G3SEK wrote:

These things have GOT to exist in the USA, but clearly the name is
different.

They are used with metal conduit-and-box wiring systems, wherever you
want to bring a flexible cable out through the wall of a conduit box
with better waterproofing than a plain grommet.

Go to www.farnell.com/uk and search for part # 3034367 - click for
details and this should give a reasonable picture.

The outside of the fixed part looks rather like a through-bulkhead
double female N connector. It goes through the box wall, with some kind
of O-ring seal, and is fixed with a single large nut. The cable threads
through the inside, and is sealed by a rubber ring and a screw-down cap.
Result - a completely waterproof lead-through.

All together now: "Oh, ya mean a [Fill In The Blank] - why didn't ya
*say* so?"

Anyway, the whole point was that these [FITB] things are available in
cheap plastic, and are ideal for getting cables through the walls of
plastic or metal boxes in a totally waterproof way. You can install
in-line connectors on the 'tails' of cable if necessary, and they make a
very easy shape to wrap with waterproofing tape.

This is vastly better than installing chassis-mount connectors on the
box wall, and then trying to wrap tape onto a very difficult shape.


How about cannon connectors? or if you are looking just to have the
cable entrance water tight and not removable then look at thomas &
bettes they make all sorts of sizes of water proof box entry fittings.
If not too many pins Hubble makes marine grade plugs and receptacles.


Gary K8IZ
Washington State Resident
Registered Linux User # 312991

On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 03:07:58 -0700, Roy Lewallen
wrote:

Thanks for the reference. The closest thing I found to that was
something roughly similar for what we call Romex wire -- flattish, vinyl
insulated three-conductor (called two conductor with ground) wire used
for house wiring. I'm not sure it was weatherproof, though. It would be
harder to seal something of that shape than it would to seal something
round.

I suspect that the part you referenced is uncommon here because of the
larger gauge of our house wiring due to the lower distribution voltage.
Wire smaller than AWG14 (SWG15) isn't used except for lamp and appliance
cords and the like, never for fixed wiring. The AWG14 or 12 wire used
for house wiring is virtually always in flat Romex cable. (Four
conductor 220 volt wire is round but large diameter.) Interior wiring is
secured to boxes with clamps which are definitely not weatherproof.
Exterior wiring is virtually always in conduit between boxes. I found a
number of weatherproof clamp-type fittings for conduit, with similar
construction to the Farnell part, but the inner diameter is much too
large for the small cable I'll be using. It's been a long time since I
looked carefully at the code, but I'd be very surprised if exterior
wiring is permitted outside of conduit under any circumstances.

Maybe I should just send my 42p to Farnell. . . Hm, better yet, there's
a cottage in Wales we've been told needs beta testing, so maybe we can
kill two birds with one stone. . .

I'll check the electronics store. Maybe someone imports them and sells
them for other applications.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

Ian White, G3SEK wrote:

These things have GOT to exist in the USA, but clearly the name is
different.

They are used with metal conduit-and-box wiring systems, wherever you
want to bring a flexible cable out through the wall of a conduit box
with better waterproofing than a plain grommet.

Go to www.farnell.com/uk and search for part # 3034367 - click for
details and this should give a reasonable picture.

The outside of the fixed part looks rather like a through-bulkhead
double female N connector. It goes through the box wall, with some kind
of O-ring seal, and is fixed with a single large nut. The cable threads
through the inside, and is sealed by a rubber ring and a screw-down cap.
Result - a completely waterproof lead-through.

All together now: "Oh, ya mean a [Fill In The Blank] - why didn't ya
*say* so?"

Anyway, the whole point was that these [FITB] things are available in
cheap plastic, and are ideal for getting cables through the walls of
plastic or metal boxes in a totally waterproof way. You can install
in-line connectors on the 'tails' of cable if necessary, and they make a
very easy shape to wrap with waterproofing tape.

This is vastly better than installing chassis-mount connectors on the
box wall, and then trying to wrap tape onto a very difficult shape.


How about cannon connectors? or if you are looking just to have the
cable entrance water tight and not removable then look at thomas &
bettes they make all sorts of sizes of water proof box entry fittings.
If not too many pins Hubble makes marine grade plugs and receptacles.


Gary K8IZ
Washington State Resident
Registered Linux User # 312991

Roy Lewallen wrote in message ...
For years I've had a relay box in the back yard to remotely switch among
antennas. The plastic freezer boxes I used deteriorate in the sun and
have to be replaced from time to time. Last time I was at the surplus
store I picked up an ammo box which will be the new home for the relays.
I plan on using N connectors for the RF due to their weatherproof
construction. The problem is a connector for the relay control cable. I
want a weatherproof bulkhead connector with at least 8 or 9 conductors,
and I'd like the cable part to be weatherproof also. I don't want to use
an in-line connector because of the problems of weatherproofing and
strain relieving wires going through the box wall.

There are a bunch of old military connectors that would be fine, but I
need a set of complete ones, with back shell for the cable end, etc.
I've been keeping an eye on eBay, but so far haven't spotted anything
quite right.

Does anyone know a source for a suitable connector set?

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

Remember the cardinal rules of waterproofing switch/relay boxes, vis
use good quality connectors
carefully waterproof all connector in/outs
seal box with appropriate rated sealant

and, lastly, drill a small hole in the bottom of the box for water to drain out....

de VK3BFA Andrew

Roy Lewallen wrote in message ...
For years I've had a relay box in the back yard to remotely switch among
antennas. The plastic freezer boxes I used deteriorate in the sun and
have to be replaced from time to time. Last time I was at the surplus
store I picked up an ammo box which will be the new home for the relays.
I plan on using N connectors for the RF due to their weatherproof
construction. The problem is a connector for the relay control cable. I
want a weatherproof bulkhead connector with at least 8 or 9 conductors,
and I'd like the cable part to be weatherproof also. I don't want to use
an in-line connector because of the problems of weatherproofing and
strain relieving wires going through the box wall.

There are a bunch of old military connectors that would be fine, but I
need a set of complete ones, with back shell for the cable end, etc.
I've been keeping an eye on eBay, but so far haven't spotted anything
quite right.

Does anyone know a source for a suitable connector set?

Roy Lewallen, W7EL

Remember the cardinal rules of waterproofing switch/relay boxes, vis
use good quality connectors
carefully waterproof all connector in/outs
seal box with appropriate rated sealant

and, lastly, drill a small hole in the bottom of the box for water to drain out....

de VK3BFA Andrew

These things have GOT to exist in the USA, but clearly the name is
different.

They are used with metal conduit-and-box wiring systems, wherever you
want to bring a flexible cable out through the wall of a conduit box
with better waterproofing than a plain grommet.

Not quite the same, but perhaps usable are the split gromets. See
MSC's on line catalog http://www.mscdirect.com at page 3643, or search
for "split cable entry system" using their site search engine.

Or, you could use a standard cable entry boot from Andrew
http://216.91.65.4/pdfs/andrew/221213.pdf

Jack K8ZOA

These things have GOT to exist in the USA, but clearly the name is
different.

They are used with metal conduit-and-box wiring systems, wherever you
want to bring a flexible cable out through the wall of a conduit box
with better waterproofing than a plain grommet.

Not quite the same, but perhaps usable are the split gromets. See
MSC's on line catalog http://www.mscdirect.com at page 3643, or search
for "split cable entry system" using their site search engine.

Or, you could use a standard cable entry boot from Andrew
http://216.91.65.4/pdfs/andrew/221213.pdf

Jack K8ZOA

Michael A. Terrell wrote:

That looks like a common "liquid tight" bushing used to run a
flexible cable from an outdoor electrical box to a piece of machinery,
or an outdoor light using SJ or SJ-T type rubber jacketed cable. They
are available in plastic or machined aluminum from most electrical
distributors.

I knew they had to exist in the USA, because the same thing needs to be
done wherever in the world you go.

So UK "cable gland" = US "liquid tight cable bushing"?

As a final check, do the people behind the counter in the electrical
distributors speak the same language?

Please don't ask why they're called "glands" over here. I believe it's
an old steam-age term for a part that looks rather similar... but it
still doesn't say much for those old-time engineers' knowledge of
anatomy.


--
73 from Ian G3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
Editor, 'The VHF/UHF DX Book'
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek

Michael A. Terrell wrote:

That looks like a common "liquid tight" bushing used to run a
flexible cable from an outdoor electrical box to a piece of machinery,
or an outdoor light using SJ or SJ-T type rubber jacketed cable. They
are available in plastic or machined aluminum from most electrical
distributors.

I knew they had to exist in the USA, because the same thing needs to be
done wherever in the world you go.

So UK "cable gland" = US "liquid tight cable bushing"?

As a final check, do the people behind the counter in the electrical
distributors speak the same language?

Please don't ask why they're called "glands" over here. I believe it's
an old steam-age term for a part that looks rather similar... but it
still doesn't say much for those old-time engineers' knowledge of
anatomy.


--
73 from Ian G3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
Editor, 'The VHF/UHF DX Book'
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek

On Tue, 5 Aug 2003 18:01:25 -0600, Sylvan Butler
d wrotF:

On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 20:48:55 +0100, Ian White, G3SEK wrote:
Roy Lewallen wrote:
control cable. I want a weatherproof bulkhead connector with at least 8
or 9 conductors, and I'd like the cable part to be weatherproof also. I
don't want to use an in-line connector because of the problems of
weatherproofing and strain relieving wires going through the box wall.

A standard electrical cable gland will weatherproof the cable going
through the box wall (or whatever you call that thing with a
compressible rubber washer that squeezes down onto the cable). That

That's what I call them, but I have no idea if that is standard
terminology here in the States.

would leaves an in-line connector pair which is a good shape to wrap
with tape, so it needn't be inherently waterproof.

Yup. That's what I'd do.

sdb

We call them cord grips at work. Pipe thread on one side, and a
compression gasket arrangement on the other. Available in metal or
plastic. Thomas&Betts and Hubbell are a couple of the brands we use.
They provide strain relief and a water tight seal to cords coming in
and out of electrical panels.