RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] RFC - Standard Thru-Hull Electrical Connector

I am trying to digest this thread on Standard Thru- Hull for comms. So it looks like we have two ways to share the OTS equipment for the convention.

1) Standardize on the connectors on the SSB-2010 between the radio and transducer that Al speced and everyone makes use of any hull bulkhead connectors and associated cables they have.

2) Standardize on the connectors on the SSB-2010 between the radio and transducer and standardize on BH4F / IL4M bulkhead penetrator.

We can use Daniel's gear either way.

I am leaning to option 2 for my boat.

I am in the process of ordering three OTS units:

1 STX-101 (4 channel surface transceiver)

1 SSB-2010 (4 channel Diver transceiver)

1 CDK-6 (Headset with boom microphone, 55 foot transducer cable with connectors)

The SSB-2010 will be inside the pressure hull as in Daniel's boat.

I will then take the 55 foot cable (comes with the CDK-6) and cut out and discard 50 foot. This will leave me with two finished ends and two cut ends. The male finished end (Radio mating connector Al describes) I will plug into the SSB-2010 unit. The Female finished end with the Transducer I will secure to my exostructure. I will then take the cut end connected to the transducer and connect it to the IL4M connector. This connection will need to be potted with RTV. This modified transducer cable is now ready to plug into the BH4F bulkhead penetrator. Finally, I will take the other cut end, whose finished end is plugged into the SSB-2010 radio unit and connect it with an inline ( TYCO ???) connector to the pigtail coming off the BH4F bulkhead connector. This will alow me to also share my OTS equipment with anyone that has the BH4F connector and associated Tyco ??? connector if you want to use my cables as well as Radio and transducer.

Questions.

Has anyone speced the inline TYCO male and female connector that would connect to the BH4F bulkhead penetrator?
What is the pin out for the BH4F connector and associated pin out on the SSB-2010 unit?

Cliff

From: "Smyth, Alec" <Alec.Smyth@compuware.com>
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Sent: Mon, December 21, 2009 6:36:09 PM
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] RFC - Standard Thru-Hull Electrical Connector

So, is there still any interest in a standard bulkhead connector? My main rationale for it was to connect OTS cables on any sub, but it seems like with the cheap Digi-Key source of OTS connectors it isn't needed anymore as everyone can make a cable set adapted to whatever bulkhead connector they are using.

It would still be nice to standardize for other reasons, but no longer necessary.

Thanks,

Alec

On Dec 21, 2009, at 6:58 PM, "Daniel Lance" <lanceind@earthlink.net> wrote:

The OTS cables with "connectors" that I have are OTS factory made. They are intended to allow the SSB-2010 diver units to be used as surface units. When I intially purchased the SSB-2010s I used one as a surface unit and one in my sub. I cut one of the cables , soldered it back together with water stop pins and then potted it into a thru hull penetrator that I fabricated. This assembly has worked very well. By purchasing the connector ends that AL has spec'ed out and using either a commercially made thru hull penetrator or one you make yourself , It will be possible to have comms in any sub that wants to dive at the convention this year . I will post some pictures of the cables , connectors and comms etc. this weekend.

This really is a functional reliable way to go. I am very happy with the performance.

Dan Lance

PS

Al, thank you for tracking down a supplier for these connectors. A factory made cable with the two connectors cost $125.00 from OTS. I will be ordering some spares from DigiKey and saving some money.

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From: Al Secor

To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org

Sent: 12/21/2009 10:25:48 AM

Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] RFC - Standard Thru-Hull Electrical Connector

I’m just referring to the OEM connectors they use. They probably make up their own cable assemblies in house and do the potting themselves with RTV or epoxy.

Again, I’m only going by the cables I saw to Dan Lance’s units which are as I described and used by police, military, etc. I’m sure they all buy their cables pre-made from OTS.

Regarding the bell unit, if it’s not a catalog item, I’m not sure how to go about getting detailed info on it not to mention getting my hands on one to physically look at it. Besides, I would doubt

they use the same transducer that they use on their portable 3 watt units. Their 10 watt surface only unit (STX-101) has a transducer where the cable is potted or molded directly to the transducer

and the only connector is at the end that plugs into the radio and is the same as the SSB-2010 units.

Al

From: owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org [mailto:owner-personal_submersibles@psubs.org] On Behalf Of vbra676539@aol.com
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2009 5:34 AM
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Subject: Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] RFC - Standard Thru-Hull Electrical Connector

Al,

OTS sells what they call a bell unit, which says diving bell to me, and that would need a full-tilt bulkhead connector. It doesn't seem to be a catalogue item for them, but I wouldn't be surprised to find they have something to use that doesn't require a dose of RTV. Police agencies and the military are less than pre-disposed toward bandaids like that.

Vance

-----Original Message-----
From: Al Secor <wreckdiver@frontiernet.net>
To: personal_submersibles@psubs.org
Sent: Sun, Dec 20, 2009 10:11 pm
Subject: RE: [PSUBS-MAILIST] RFC - Standard Thru-Hull Electrical Connector

Here are the part numbers for the OTS connectors:

Transducer mating connector

Plug       Tyco # 206060-1      Digikey # A1357-ND    $2.81

Shell      Tyco # 206062-1      Digikey # A1330-ND    $3.94

Socket   Tyco # 66399-4        Digikey # A1661-ND    $8.33/10 (only 2 needed)

Radio mating connector

Recept   Tyco # 206153-1      Digikey # A1351-ND    $2.48

Shell      Tyco # 206062-1      Digikey # A1330-ND    $3.94

Pins       Tyco # 66400-4       Digikey # A1648-ND    $6.98/10 (only 2 needed)

Al