Pressure-compensated electro-connective systems for outboard usage on deep submersibles

Conventional electrical hull penetrators for deep-submersible applications employing pressure-resistant construction become prohibitively heavy when designed for reliable operation at 20,000 ft depth. Outboard cable assemblies employing conventional helical-lay conductors with a heavy rubber jacket and attached to the back shell of pressure-proof electrical connectors by rubber-molding or similar techniques have been shown to be extremely short-lived and very unreliable when subjected to a relatively small number of typical pressure cycles. A solution to both of these problems has been found in utilization of oil-filled pressure-compensation construction. While the weight saving for the cable assemblies is not so spectacular, the tremendous improvement in reliability along with substantial increase in versatility and ease of manufacture and installation makes the new approach attractive to designers of deep-submergence vehicles. The units described in this paper were developed for use on the Westinghouse Deep Star 20,000 vehicle. The electrical hull penetrators can each accommodate up to 11 external cables each containing 9 #16 AWG conductors. Extensive environmental testing has been accomplished and is described.