Douglas Electrical Components 12 Conductor Hermetic Wire Feedthroughs 28023

NPT, or National Pipe Thread, is a tapered mechanical interface common in the electrical feedthrough industry. NPT threads are simple and cost-effective to machine as well as install. Each thread size has its own pressure ratings when paired with certain materials (softer metals like brass tend to hold less pressure than a high-strength nickel alloy). NPT plugs engage with receptacles with a tape or sealant applied to the plug threads. As the threads engage, the fitting is tightened, creating the seal. This differs from an SAE thread, which would have parallel threads and an O-ring seal at the base of the plug or a metal cone seal at the end of the threads.

Douglas Electrical Components manufactures a variety of hermetic NPT feedthroughs. These designs are specified in vacuum and positive pressure applications as well as hazardous and non-hazardous environments. Douglas can integrate wires, cables, or connectors to feed power, signal, or optical fiber through the bulkhead fitting while maintaining a hermetic seal. Epoxy allows the conductors to pass through the fitting while hermetically sealing it within the feedthrough. This design can be set to prevent the penetration of liquids or gases from one side of the bulkhead to the other. In explosion-proof atmospheres, the hermetic feedthrough prevents the penetration of hazardous liquids and gases from reaching an ignition source with enough energy to cause an explosion.

Types of NPT Feedthroughs

NPT Wire Feedthroughs / Wire Bushings

Hermetic NPT feedthroughs, referred to in the oil and gas industry as wire bushings or conduit seals, allow for an electrical interface through a bulkhead or conduit. Epoxy seals the wires or conductors to create a high density, robust seal. In-house pressure or vacuum testing ensures the seal meets the application requirements.

The feedthrough can be machined using various materials including aluminum, brass, stainless steel, and nickel alloys such as Alloy 625 or 718. The feedthrough material will help dictate both the pressure rating as well as corrosion resistance. The thread chosen for the NPT feedthrough will also influence the pressure rating. In oil and gas instrumentation, ½” NPT is a popular threaded connection due to its compact size and availability of ½” conduit pipes.

Custom NPT wire feedthroughs are available to customer specifications. While the thread itself will meet the industry standard, the interface that a customer needs can be customized. This can allow for simpler, faster installation with an OEM design. Connect wires, cables, connectors, and fiber within an NPT fitting to meet your requirements.

Explosion-Proof Conduit Seals Available

Douglas manufactures both standard and custom NPT feedthroughs. Our standard designs are available with both non-hazardous and hazardous configurations. Conduit seals are available as certified to UL1203 with options for Groups A, B, C, D, our JacketSeal is a non-hermetic, water-proof conduit seal. Douglas Electrical will also partner with customers to certify a design within their hazardous location certification. This can create more customization and streamline the process for certification to the exact requirements.

NPT Connectors

Connectors continue to gain popularity in various industries for their convenience. Hermetic NPT feedthroughs are commonly designed with integral circular connectors such as the M12 connector. This enables quick installation in a cost effective package. Other industrial connectors, push-pull connectors, and MIL-Spec connectors are available for integration into an NPT, yet can be limited based on the diameter of the connector compared to the diameter of the connector and mating cable assembly.

NPT Terminal Seals

NPT Feedthroughs are designed for integration into HVAC/R equipment for power transmission. These feedthroughs are commonly referred to as hermetic terminal seals. The Douglas Electrical Components portfolio offers standard hermetic terminal seals in both NPT and face seal designs. This allows for customers to cost effectively transmit power through the copper threaded stud through the hermetic seal.

Thermocouple NPT Feedthroughs

Thermocouple NPT feedthroughs are simple designs to transmit temperature signals in and out of a bulkhead. Thermocouple NPT feedthroughs are common with a single-ended NPT nipple of brass or stainless steel. The number of conductors can vary based on the application, thermocouple type, wire thickness and conductors.

Features

MAIN BENEFITS

• Low cost
• Commonly available
• Low-tech installation
• Relatively compact

DRAWBACKS

• Not ideal for critical sealing applications
• More labor intensive than other types of seals
• Limitations on pressure rating

STANDARD EXPLOSION-PROOF WIRE BUSHINGS

UL1203 Class I Division 1 Explosion-proof Rated NPT Feedthroughs

• 52240 NPT Female-to-Male Adaptor
• 52240 NPT Male-to-Male Nipple Wire Bushing
• 52239 NPT Iron Female-to-Female Adaptor

Douglas Electrical Components also partners with customers to design custom hazardous area rated feedthroughs. Our products can meet international standards including IEC and ATEX; contact us with your specific requirements and we will partner to design an approved feedthrough for your requirements.

POPULAR OPTIONS

Materials

• Stainless steel
• Brass
• Aluminum
• Iron
• Specialty alloys

Electrical Connections

• Wire
• Cable
• Fiber optic cable
• Connectors
• Copper thread

NPT Sizes

• 1/2″ NPT
• 3/4″ NPT
• 1″ NPT

COMMON TYPES OF THERMOCOUPLE WIRE FEEDTHROUGHS

• Type J
• Type K
• Type N
• Type T

Douglas Electrical Components offers the unique ability to manufacture hermetic and non-hermetic, high-density wire and cable feedthroughs for a variety of applications and industries. From aerospace applications to hazardous locations, Douglas wire and cable feedthroughs and assemblies are trusted to survive harsh environments and conditions.

Using a high-strength epoxy, Douglas Electrical creates hermetically sealed feedthroughs that protect equipment, controls, and instrumentation from various liquids and gases. Our epoxy will hermetically seal to virtually any conductor or optical fiber on the market, creating a virtually unlimited combination of options for gauge, material, length, and connection types.

Wire and cable feedthroughs are also available with various value added services. Douglas can create the harnessing, shielding, connectorization, and labeling to seamlessly integrate into your system in various production volumes. Our IPC-620 certified technicians are highly skilled and trained in supporting complex harnesses and feedthroughs across a variety of industries.

The feedthrough housing is available in various configurations and materials to meet environmental conditions like pressure and temperature as well as design for manufacturability; this can include using a customer-supplied housing. We offer in-house CNC machining services for housings to ensure quality and competitive pricing.

DuctorSeal® Series

Hermetic Wire / Cable Feedthroughs

Create a high-density, hermetic wire or cable feedthrough using virtually any conductor

JacketSeal™ Series

Liquid Tight Wire / Cable Feedthrough Seals

Create a high-density, sealed wire or cable electrical feedthrough
for use in hazardous and/or non-hazardous areas.

OptiSeal™ Series

Fiber Optic Feedthroughs

Customized optical fiber feedthroughs & connectors are available as pre-tested assemblies.

Custom Harnessing

Cable Harnesses

Wire and cable harnesses designed and manufactured to your specific requirements.

Why Choose Douglas Wire & Cable Solutions?

• Work with any type of wire or cable. We are not limited by insulation or conductor material, size, shielding, or other variables. Numerous options include discrete wires, multi-conductor cables, coaxial or even Quadrax cables, ribbon cables, flex and other circuit board assemblies.
• Specify any conductor type, any length preferences, and any terminations required (pigtails, terminals, contacts, connectors, etc.). Whether the design calls for 8AWG PVC wires, flat flex circuit (FFC), or 24AWG Teflon twisted, shielded pairs to be sealed, we’ve got it covered.
• Mix & match conductor types: For instance, one feedthrough can contain copper wires, optical fiber cables, thermocouples, power cables, twisted shielded pairs, and others of varying AWG in any combination.
• Cable-based feedthroughs allow us to maximize conductor density. Douglas can fit significantly more conductors through a given feedthrough size compared to a connector-based feedthroughs.
• Thermocouple and signal harnesses offer end to end, uninterrupted continuity for the most accurate signal integrity. Minimizing connection points means less voltage drops and contact resistance issues, and better overall performance.
• All designs can be partially or entirely customized with support from our experienced applications and sales engineering staff to best fit your technical and cost requirements.
• Our epoxy-based sealing technology covers a wide variety of temperature ranges, extensive pressure differentials, and is chemically compatible with most all substances, from refrigerants to get fuels, that our customers look to seal.

Features

WIRE FEEDTHROUGH PERFORMANCE CAPABILITIES

• Uses the same wire and insulation types already approved for use elsewhere in your system
• <1×10^-9 cc/sec per feedthrough
• Pressures of 15,000 psi
• Operating temperatures range from 4 K (LHe) through high temperatures of 200°C
• High-voltage cables up to 30,000 V
• Full cable harness options with connectorization available
• Wire gauges from 38 AWG to 500 MCM
• Conductor counts from single wire to 3,200 in a single feedthrough
• Cable lengths from stubs to 2,000 meters
• NASA’s ASTM E-595 low outgassing specification with just 0.26% weight loss and less than 0.002% VCM.

COMMON HOUSING TYPES

• NPT
• Face seals
• Radial O-rings
• SAE
• CF/QF/KF flange
• ANSI flange
• Custom options available

COMMON WIRE & CABLE TYPES

• Individual wires (PTFE, PVC, etc.)
• Jacketed cable
• Coaxial feedthroughs
• Thermocouple
• Customized assemblies with integral connectors
• Visit our OptiSeal page for Fiber Optic Feedthroughs

MARKET CAPABILITIES

• ISO 9001:2015
• ISO 14001:2015
• ITAR DDTC Registration
• UL/cUL 1203, UL 886, UL 674, and UL 913