Another cable gland question.

JoelSim

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Hi all,

Well after a bit of time out from light building/overhauling (first child coming into the world has been keeping me busy) it's time to get back to it.

I've decided to take off the old glands and cable from the can light and put new ones on. But in doing this I have discovered an issue that I am hoping that you enlightened folk can help with...

I've been looking at the Agro glands with strain relief, but to me it seems I have not got standard size threads and holes from the previous ones (I figure they must be some sort of standard as of course they are not custom made, but I cannot find matching dimensions).

Dimensions as best I can measure them on the old ones are:

External thread: 18.25mm
Internal hole/thread (can-lid & light head): approx. 17.5-18mm

The light was produced in Germany if that makes much difference!?!?

Any suggestions and advice are much appreciated.

Cheers, Joel.
 

betti154

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The dive rite branded glands, I think they Argo made, are the same dimensions. You can get them from DiveGearExpress.com, though being in Europe that might not be helpful.


Regards,
Damien Siviero
http://damiensiviero.com
 

JoelSim

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Cheers Damien and Lucca,

Damien: thanks for the info on the Dive Rite ones. I had been checking them out on DGE, but since the had no measurements on there I gave up on them.

Lucca: thanks also. Not which one you were referring to with your second link as it goes to the main page (unless you put the little yellow pins on the Mini WADI??)

Waiting to see if the guy locally here has the AGRO ones in the right size, failing that I'll be back to these suggestions :)

Joel.
 
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No I think on these with ''elongated thread '' it looks like that which uses ''Light for Me'' also produced from Agro.
 
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josb

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........Waiting to see if the guy locally here has the AGRO ones in the right size ......

Hello Joel,

Maybe wise if you fill your profile a bit further e.g. the place where you live :)
Now you get all kinds of help and links but nobody knows where you're from, maybe not usefull to give you advise from Europe if you are living in the States or so.
 

JoelSim

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Hello Joel,

Maybe wise if you fill your profile a bit further e.g. the place where you live :)
Now you get all kinds of help and links but nobody knows where you're from, maybe not usefull to give you advise from Europe if you are living in the States or so.

Yes you've got a point there :)

Only yesterday did I notice that it didn't say where I was living. I'll go and sort that out.

For the record: Norway :grin2:

Joel
 

JoelSim

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Thanks everyone for your responses and links.

I've got my hands on some AGRO glands now (Pg9's though) waiting for some Pg11/Pg9 reductions to turn up now and then it's time to assemble.

Looking at using this cable:

https://www.elfaelektronikk.no/elfa3~no_en/elfa/init.do?item=55-644-04

A
ny thoughts?

I see that some a lot of people are using 1.5mm cores. Is there any real issue using 1.0mm cores?

I selected the above linked cable partly as it seems it should be flexible and also the over all diameter is 8.2mm, which falls into the suggested range of the AGRO glands(8.8mm max.)

Again...any thoughts?

Cheers,
Joel.
 
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Yes you can simply use that cord , but why with 4 wires, in that case outer insulation is thinner ? You have same cable in 1,00mm2 version or 1,5mm2 version

https://www.elfaelektronikk.no/elfa3~no_en/elfa/init.do?item=55-644-02 or https://www.elfaelektronikk.no/elfa3~no_en/elfa/init.do?item=55-644-07 .

Actually many light producers uses a lot thicker cable , ( I have 4mm2 = AWG11 ;-) ) Maybe the main reason is that it is a lot simple to handle with little thick and heavy cable , special if you have to operate in these DIR exercises when you always have to have ''clean profil '' and cable stored behind waist strap ( they educated me so and I just made my cable in that way and it stays so ;-))
 

JoelSim

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Yes you can simply use that cord , but why with 4 wires, in that case outer insulation is thinner ? You have same cable in 1,00mm2 version or 1,5mm2 version

https://www.elfaelektronikk.no/elfa3~no_en/elfa/init.do?item=55-644-02 or https://www.elfaelektronikk.no/elfa3~no_en/elfa/init.do?item=55-644-07 .

Actually many light producers uses a lot thicker cable , ( I have 4mm2 = AWG11 ;-) ) Maybe the main reason is that it is a lot simple to handle with little thick and heavy cable , special if you have to operate in these DIR exercises when you always have to have ''clean profil '' and cable stored behind waist strap ( they educated me so and I just made my cable in that way and it stays so ;-))

Thanks for your response once again Lucca...

I did see the thicker cables and the 2 core ones. The reason against the thicker cable options was simply due to what the specifications on the cable glands are. I'm waiting for the cable to arrive (hopefully today) so I can physically see and touch it and then decide if I feel that it is too thin/delicate.

As to why 4 core. I asked this same question of a guy here in Norway who builds lights. He commented that he has found that the 2 core cables often have the insulation deform more inside the glands and give opportunity to leaks. Sounded like a reasonable explanation to me. So for now I went with the 4 core.

Was I wrong to assume that the cable absolutely must fall within the specs of the cable glands?

Cheers,
Joel.

P.S. Bit of a shame that this rebuild won't be ready for testing and diving for my Normoxic Trimix course this weekend....:thumbsdow
 
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He commented that he has found that the 2 core cables often have the insulation deform more inside the glands and give opportunity to leaks.

well thats probably comes from that people tighten cable gland simply to much with proportional equation tighten more = seal more ..... NO ! In that case gland nut deformate seal inside and gland which may leak ... in general 4 wire or even multiple wire is more homogeneous assembly for tightening sure ;-) . I think cable through gland lubricated with Sikaflex and softly tighten is quite enough.


Was I wrong to assume that the cable absolutely must fall within the specs of the cable glands?
no , just to fit cable through
 

JoelSim

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well thats probably comes from that people tighten cable gland simply to much with proportional equation tighten more = seal more ..... NO ! In that case gland nut deformate seal inside and gland which may leak ... in general 4 wire or even multiple wire is more homogeneous assembly for tightening sure ;-) . I think cable through gland lubricated with Sikaflex and softly tighten is quite enough.

Yes I did kind of wonder whether the real problem was people over tightening the gland, more so than it being due to how many cores the cable has.

I only just noticed that you said you lubricate the cable with Sikaflex....do you do this purely so it slides easier or also to help create a better seal??

Cheers,
Joel.
 

josb

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..... I think cable through gland lubricated with Sikaflex and softly tighten is quite enough....no , just to fit cable through

I thought Sikaflex is a kind of glue and not a lubricant :sssh:
If you want to lubricate you should use vaseline or silicone grease.

These cable glands with IP6.8 rating should be fine and waterproof just by tightning the end nut correctly.
 

JoelSim

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I thought Sikaflex is a kind of glue and not a lubricant :sssh:
If you want to lubricate you should use vaseline or silicone grease.

These cable glands with IP6.8 rating should be fine and waterproof just by tightning the end nut correctly.

Exactly the reason I was asking.....

Was (and still am) curious as to whether it was a typo and he actually meant silicon grease or if in fact he was using a small amount of sikaflex (while still wet) to slide the cable through and then using it as another sealing component!?!?!
 
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When aplaying sikaflex I get it before in little in warm water (45-50°C )to become more viscous . Point si to aplay thin film which made better seal (not hard gluing together) .To lubricate is just little silly expression .
 
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