PotCon® Series Hermetic Bulkhead Connectors

While the terms are frequently used interchangeably within the industry, a hermetic connector prevents the ingress of air, gasses, and liquids. It is typically specified with pressures from ultra-high vacuum to positive pressures. Sealed connectors or sealed bulkhead connectors can be hermetic but are typically more focused on the penetration of liquids. Sealed bulkhead connectors are commonly specified with Ingress Protection (IP) ratings such as dust, submersions, and high-pressure wash down. We can design either hermetic or sealed connectors for bulkhead or standard connectivity. We specializing in converting non-hermetic connector options into a hermetically sealed interconnect or bulkhead feedthrough.

It is critical to make sure your connections are gas tight throughout the life of the program. Without a hermetic seal in your critical application, you are vulnerable to moisture ingress, explosions, and other catastrophic failure modes. Hermetic or sealed bulkhead connectors allow for simplified installation to the wall of a chamber, cabinet, or system. While various bulkhead fittings are available, a traditional bulkhead feedthrough connector uses an O-ring face seal installation. Douglas offers other standard mechanical interfaces such as threaded connections such as NPT and SAE, vacuum flanges, and more.

A bulkhead connector or bulkhead feedthrough has electrical connections on two ends with the purpose of being fed through a hole within a panel and mounted. This allows for a sealed or fully hermetic electrical connection between the inside and outside of the panel, box, or system. The diameter of the hole within the panel is typically specific to the electrical connection to ensure the most suitable seal. Bulkhead connectors are designed with a variety of mounting types including flanges, threads, and plates, depending on variables such as the panel design, hermetic requirements, environmental conditions, and hazardous location certifications.

All connectors have a default insert position “N”. Clockings A, B, C, D, X, Y, & Z.

Here is a breakdown of the recommended installation torque values of standard vacuum face seal housings: