ATEX-certified connectors
16 March 2011
Interconnection
Independently tested for compliance to ATEX standards for use in Zone 2 and Zone 22 environments, Bulgin’s new EXP series is manufactured from a tough, high-grade UL94V-0 rated polycarbonate material.
Similar in construction to Bulgin’s popular 900 series Buccaneer, the connectors are environmentally sealed to IP68 to provide protection for the most severe of dust and waterborne environments. Ambient temperature range is from -20°C to +55°C.
Compact in design, the connectors are available in 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 10 pole variants and in four body styles – cable, in-line cable, panel and flange fixing. Each contact insert is available with either pin or socket contacts and either can be used with any of the body styles to give an extensive choice of combinations.
They are rated up to 18 A, 600 V a.c./d.c. for 2, 3, 4 and 5 poles; 16 A, 430 V a.c./d.c. for 7 poles; and 10 A, 250 V a.c./d.c. for 10 poles. The 3, 4, 5 and 7 pole versions have leading earth contacts making them suitable for single- or three-phase applications.
The EXP series connector achieves an environmental seal to IP68 as soon as the locking ring is tightened, without any supplementary sealing. Sealing caps, with strong steel retaining cords, maintain the sealing integrity when the connectors are not mated. The IP68 rating is tested submerged at 10 metres for two weeks.
Screw fixing terminal contacts, designed to accommodate conductors up to 4 mm², require no special tooling and allow the connector to be easily terminated and maintained in the field, while positive location keyways prohibit the possibility of misconnection. Two designs of cable retention and alternative sealing glands allow for cable acceptance from 7 mm through to 22 mm diameter.
The connectors are designed for a wide variety of applications in mind, where a secure, reliable and easy to terminate interface is required, particularly for manufacturers supplying machines, equipment and systems where these explosive atmospheres might exist. As well as the petrochemical industries, this could include mills and grain stores, paint and ink manufacturers, timber mills and processors, cement works, shipyards and sewage treatment. The EXPlora range is most suited to manufacturers of ancillary electrical equipment such as motors, pumps, lighting equipment, process and control gear for use in factories and plant where hazardous, or explosive atmospheres can be caused by flammable gases, mists or vapours or by combustible dusts.
For more information contact Craig Gibbs, Avnet Kopp, +27 (0)11 809 6100, craig.gibbs@avnet.co.za, www.avnet.co.za
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