Underwater Wiring Connection?

[technocracy]

Ok so I purchased a couple of underwater lights for the fountain pool, they are cast light with seal glass fronts etc. totally water tight.

They come with a small tail of wire hanging out the back - without looking at them I think, hmm no worries replace that wire with a longer length and connect them to the power outside of the pool.

However I have just tried to undo the nut that it holding the wire in and it is solid, I reckon loctite thread weld has been applied at the factory.

So now I had to have a connection underwater, my thought is to use a straight crimp then encase the connections in silcone to make it water tight.

What do the sparks on here think? Is there any connectors specifically made for underwater connections? I've never done wiring underwater before!

Any suggestion welcome!

[Mid]

heat shrink ,

and keep your toes outa the pond .........................

[GuestHouse]

Idealy you need something like this IP 68 Water Proof Connector

If you can find something like that, take care to look for the Certification 'IP 68' = Ingress Protection, explained here Ingress Protection Explained

Alternatively make your own as follows:

Safety Note: Always Completely Disconnect Power from the Mains/Batteries when working on Electrics

Cut a 4cm length of small bore plastic tube (blue house water tube is fine.

Thead your cable through the tube.

Terminate your cable to your pump lead in propriatory terminal blocks.

Check that the wires are tight.

Check that the pump is working correctly when you switch on the power - make sure it actually pumps some water.

Switch the power off again!

Now pull the tube over the termination blocks so that they are sitting in the middle of the tube's length.

Tape up one end of the tube and its wire (so that he wire is still sitting on the center line of the tube (decorator's tape is ideal).

Mix up enough Epoxy glue t fill the tube and then before it starts to harden pour it into the tube making sure not to leave any air pockets and that the tuble is full.

Leave to harden over night.

Strip off the tape and then fill in any remaining holes or gaps with a new mix of epoxy glue.

Edited June 7, 2007 by GuestHouse

[technocracy]

Idealy you need something like this IP 68 Water Proof Connector

If you can find something like that, take care to look for the Certification 'IP 68' = Ingress Protection, explained here Ingress Protection Explained

Alternatively make your own as follows:

Safety Note: Always Completely Disconnect Power from the Mains/Batteries when working on Electrics

Cut a 4cm length of small bore plastic tube (blue house water tube is fine.

Thead your cable through the tube.

Terminate your cable to your pump lead in propriatory terminal blocks.

Check that the wires are tight.

Check that the pump is working correctly when you switch on the power - make sure it actually pumps some water.

Switch the power off again!

Now pull the tube over the termination blocks so that they are sitting in the middle of the tube's length.

Tape up one end of the tube and its wire (so that he wire is still sitting on the center line of the tube (decorator's tape is ideal).

Mix up enough Epoxy glue t fill the tube and then before it starts to harden pour it into the tube making sure not to leave any air pockets and that the tuble is full.

Leave to harden over night.

Strip off the tape and then fill in any remaining holes or gaps with a new mix of epoxy glue.

Who says the internet isn't useful!

Cheers for that - I guess I could actually fill the tube with silicone instead of epoxy - but I'll give it a try and see what happens.

The circuit is of course connected to an ELCB breaker which in turn is connected to the standard breaker and both will be off, so no need to worry!

Edited June 7, 2007 by technocracy

[GuestHouse]

I'd use epoxy, Industry Standard Water Proof Connectors use the stuff, they are a bit mor fancy and have things like cable clamps, but for a garden water pump the method I suggest will be fine.

Just check that your cable is OK for putting into water - Any modern HDPE sleeved cable is fine.

[Crossy]

OK. The epoxy-in-tube method is very similar to the professional jointing systems so should be fine.

A couple of caveats:-

1. Rough up the outer of your cable where it will be in contact with the epoxy to give something of a key otherwise you may find water wicking up the infinitessimally small gap.
   
2. Ensure you have at least 2" of un-stripped cable inside the tube at each end and fill the entire tube with epoxy.
   

Are you absolutely sure your lights are mains powered, most of the underwater lights I've come across (in the West I admit) have been low voltage and used a transformer outside the pond area.

EDIT silicon may be better as it is flexible, check to make sure the stuff you intend using won't attack the cable jacket.

EDIT 2 If you can get the heatshrink with an internal glue layer that would be better and less messy

Edited June 8, 2007 by Crossy

[Tywais]

Are you absolutely sure your lights are mains powered, most of the underwater lights I've come across (in the West I admit) have been low voltage and used a transformer outside the pond area.

I see you asked the same question I was going to. Using line voltage underwater lamps seems a major hazard.

[Crossy]

Are you absolutely sure your lights are mains powered, most of the underwater lights I've come across (in the West I admit) have been low voltage and used a transformer outside the pond area.

I see you asked the same question I was going to. Using line voltage underwater lamps seems a major hazard.

I do remember a couple of years back a young lad was electrocuted by a faulty underwater lamp in a Phuket hotel swimming pool. Evidently mains powered underwater lighting is in use in Thailand

[GuestHouse]

Yes, mains power is common for underwater and garden lights.

Strange, but I guess cheaper.

[Crossy]

If you can get the heatshrink with an internal glue layer that would be better and less messy

This is the stuff http://www.rsthailand.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww...e&Nr=avl:th

[slapout]

Grinby connectors are for under water wire connections on wireing of various sizes. If you can not find the at good electrical supply outlet, you can make your wire spice to the lights and cover the splice with good electrical tape which you have set in sun for a few minutes. Tape about 2 inches either side of the splice and string tie both end eith a hitch knot.

[Crossy]

Grinby connectors are for under water wire connections on wireing of various sizes. If you can not find the at good electrical supply outlet....

They don't even show up on Google, can you describe the 'Grinby', they MAY be available under a different name.

Still think the best bet obtainable in Thailand would be the 'epoxy/tube' or heatshrink method

[chownah]

Check out:

Grimsby - IP68 / IP69K In-Line Waterproof Connectors

At:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?C=SO&a...roof+Connectors

His suggestion about using good electrical tape sounds like something you might suspect that I would recommend, doesn't it.

Chownah

[booman]

Ok so I purchased a couple of underwater lights for the fountain pool, they are cast light with seal glass fronts etc. totally water tight.

They come with a small tail of wire hanging out the back - without looking at them I think, hmm no worries replace that wire with a longer length and connect them to the power outside of the pool.

However I have just tried to undo the nut that it holding the wire in and it is solid, I reckon loctite thread weld has been applied at the factory.

So now I had to have a connection underwater, my thought is to use a straight crimp then encase the connections in silcone to make it water tight.

What do the sparks on here think? Is there any connectors specifically made for underwater connections? I've never done wiring underwater before!

Any suggestion welcome!

3M makes a splicing kit that is simply two sheaths of plastic that snap together and then you pour in the included epoxy resin. Or you could use plastic waterproof box to make the connections inside, the have waterproof gommeted pass throughs for the wires. There are so many different ways, just remember be extrra careful.

[Crossy]

Check out:

Grimsby - IP68 / IP69K In-Line Waterproof Connectors

At:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?C=SO&a...roof+Connectors

His suggestion about using good electrical tape sounds like something you might suspect that I would recommend, doesn't it.

Chownah

555, I doubt that even a rice farmer would do that

Those connectors at approaching $ 40 a pop are probably not viable for this application.

[chownah]

Crossy,

Yeah, I'm not recommending the commercial connector....I just showed it since I think this is what the other poster meant by "Grinby".

Chownah

[slapout]

Crossy,

Yeah, I'm not recommending the commercial connector....I just showed it since I think this is what the other poster meant by "Grinby".

Chownah

Thank you Chownah for the correct spelling, What we used for water tight splices were nowhere near 40. dollar each more like 50 cents. I never farmed rice but the elect. tape on a wire splice has been used for many years, and works up to a temp. of 160 F.and depths of 10000 ft. in wellbores , if the person doing the connection knows which end is up. Couldnt help myself.

[technocracy]

Are you absolutely sure your lights are mains powered, most of the underwater lights I've come across (in the West I admit) have been low voltage and used a transformer outside the pond area.

I see you asked the same question I was going to. Using line voltage underwater lamps seems a major hazard.

I do remember a couple of years back a young lad was electrocuted by a faulty underwater lamp in a Phuket hotel swimming pool. Evidently mains powered underwater lighting is in use in Thailand

Yep this is exactly the reason why I am asking the question. Since the nut which hold the cable is total in solid I don't have any choice other than joint it under the water.

I am being incredibly cautious and careful with this, I have already sunken the lights in water for an hour or so without any bulb or any electric connnected just to ensure that they are actually water tight!

I don't trust nothing when water and electric are in such close promixity!

The jointing box mention I think would be something worth looking at although I think the grey boxes which you see around in Thailand/Laos aren't for underwater use - rather outdoor waterproofing.

Maybe I might go belt an braces and put the epoxy/silicon joint inside one of the boxes! Tomorrow I will examine further.