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Subsea Connector Spec Selection Hub

Subsea Connector Spec Selection Hub

Subsea Connector Spec Selection Hub

Selecting an underwater connector begins with numbers rather than adjectives: working depth, contact count, current per contact and thread standard decide which body can actually carry your signal through salt water. Where the installation envelope is tight — inside a sensor housing, a small ROV junction box or a confined diving-equipment manifold — engineers look for a micro electrical underwater connector that preserves the same sealing architecture while shrinking the coupling. Everything below compares the documented figures for the IL16F BH16M wet-mate line, the BH multi-contact series and the standard circular IP69 family, so you can eliminate options on one screen instead of opening eight product pages.

Supplier Seacon Underwater Connectors
Cross-family comparison

All three connector families on one row basis

This is the only table that puts different families side by side. Cells show published figures only; work down the contact, current and thread columns to see which family survives your requirement list.

Family Model Mate type Working depth Current per contact Contacts Thread Body & seal Item No. Detail
Subsea wet-mate power & signal IL16F BH16M Threaded wet-mate, male & female 7000 m 5 A (single core) 1 1/2-20UNF 316L stainless base, glass-sintered socket, fluoro O-ring 12.5 × 1.8 00946 Open
BH multi-contact series BH 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 Threaded circular — 10 A 6, 8, 10, 12 5/8-18UNF — — Open
Standard circular underwater, IP69 IL4M BH4F Threaded circular — — 4 — — — Open

A dash means the value is not published for that family on its detail page. Open the family before you commit, because an unpublished figure cannot be assumed from a neighbouring row.

Supplier Seacon Underwater Connectors
Core specification

The IL16F BH16M sheet, line by line

This is the wet-mate body the whole page is anchored to. Its plug end is rubber injection moulded and the socket is built from stainless steel glass sintering, which the listing describes as delivering good airtightness. The threaded coupling is there to be operated by hand, which is why the family is recommended for places where space is limited.

ModelIL16F BH16M
Item No.00946
Working depth7000 m
Withstand voltage800 AC
Current5 A on a single core
Resistance200 MΩ
Installation thread1/2-20UNF
Base materialStandard 316L stainless steel
Ingress protectionIP69
GenderMale and female
Supplied partsBase, cable plug (1 m), nut, gasket, fluoro rubber O-ring (inner diameter 12.5 × 1.8)

Buyer decision: a single 5 A core at 7000 m covers one power feed or one signal channel. If your run needs more than one channel, compare the multi-contact grid below before ordering two separate bodies and two panel cutouts.

Contact & current reference

BH series: choose by contact count, not by product name

The BH series table is the only place where wire gauge is the entry point. Pick the row whose wire size matches the cable you already buy, then confirm the contact count against your channel list.

Number of contacts Rated current Contact diameter Rated voltage (AC/DC) Test voltage, 1 min Contact resistance Wire size
6 10 A Φ2.8 × 6 12 V – 220 V 800 V 200 mΩ 1 / 17 AWG
8 10 A Φ2.8 × 8 12 V – 220 V 800 V 200 mΩ 1 / 17 AWG
10 10 A Φ2.8 × 10 12 V – 220 V 600 V 200 mΩ 0.5 / 20 AWG
12 10 A Φ2.8 × 12 12 V – 220 V 600 V 200 mΩ 0.5 / 20 AWG

The BH series grid is headed by a 5/8-18UNF thread. Going from 8 to 10 contacts drops the one-minute test voltage from 800 V to 600 V and moves the accepted wire size from 1 mm² (17 AWG) to 0.5 mm² (20 AWG) — that is the trade a denser pin field costs you.

BH series multi-contact underwater connector with threaded shell
Stainless steel glass sintered socket and rubber moulded plug of a subsea connector
Construction & sealing

Two materials do the sealing work

Corrosion resistance in this family comes from a 316L stainless steel base, while the seal is produced by a glass-sintered stainless socket against a rubber injection moulded plug. That combination is what keeps a saltwater, pressure and temperature-exposed joint airtight over a long service life.

Plug end

Rubber injection moulded

A moulded plug end bonds the cable entry and the contact block into one flexible, sealed unit, which is why the line also fits modular and moulded custom harness builds.

Socket end

316L body, glass sintered

The stainless socket is glass-sintered for airtightness and the supplied fluoro rubber O-ring (12.5 × 1.8 mm) completes the seal at the mounting face.

Handling rules that protect the seal

  • Apply conductive silicone oil before plugging or unplugging.
  • Pull the connector straight out — never twist left or right, and never pull on the cable itself.
  • Route cable away from sharp bends and support it with bulkheads.
  • Keep joints free of inclined external force, excessive heat and direct sunlight.

Buyer decision: if your installation cannot guarantee a straight pull-out path or bulkhead support, specify a longer cable and plan the strain relief before you order — not after the first mating cycle.

Interface & thread

What mates with what, and which thread cuts your panel

Mate type and thread standard are the two choices that cannot be corrected later. The wet-mate body is designed to be coupled and uncoupled in wet conditions, which is why the handling rules above insist on silicone oil and a straight pull. The standard circular family trades that behaviour for a simpler IP69 interface.

Interface Model Coupling behaviour Thread Contacts
Wet-mate subsea IL16F BH16M Threaded, handled in wet surroundings 1/2-20UNF 1 × 5 A
Multi-contact circular BH 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 Threaded circular 5/8-18UNF 6 – 12 × 10 A
Standard circular, IP69 IL4M BH4F Threaded circular — 4

Buyer decision: 1/2-20UNF and 5/8-18UNF are not interchangeable at the mounting point. Confirm the bulkhead thread and the panel cutout against the connector you select, then machine the plate once.

Wet mate underwater connector threaded coupling detail for subsea equipment
Scenario to specification

Match the deployment to a documented figure

Each card pairs a real subsea deployment with the number that decides it, then names the buying move. No scenario is listed without a figure behind it.

Fact · 7000 m / 800 AC / 5 A

ROV power and signal runs

A single core rated at 5 A with a 7000 m working depth and 800 AC withstand covers one feed or one channel on an ROV or subsea sensor array.

Buying move: count your channels first. Two or more channels favour the BH multi-contact body at 10 A per contact instead of paralleling single-core units.

Fact · 1/2-20UNF, IP69, glass-sintered socket

Sensor housings and bulkhead feeds

The 1/2-20UNF installation thread and IP69 rating suit a connector that has to pass through a small pressure housing wall without losing airtightness.

Buying move: measure the existing bulkhead thread and panel thickness before ordering, and add the gasket and O-ring to the same purchase line.

Fact · 200 MΩ resistance, single core

Diving equipment and ship communication systems

The listing places this wet-mate family in the communication systems of diving equipment and ships, where stable signal transmission in salt water matters more than high current.

Buying move: where the run is signal-only, prioritise the 200 MΩ resistance figure and the sealing method over a higher current rating you will never use.

Fact · cores and sizes chosen per customer requirement

Custom harness and confined installations

The connector is designed for confined or wet environments and is compatible with both moulded and modular custom wiring harness builds.

Buying move: specify cable length, harness style and core size in the RFQ rather than ordering a stock body and re-terminating it later.

RFQ & custom builds

Send a specification, not a product name

The number of cores and their sizes are selected according to customer requirements, so a useful enquiry is a filled-in spec sheet. Include the following and the assembly can be quoted against your application rather than a catalogue default.

  • Working depth and pressure environment
  • Contact count — single core, or 6 / 8 / 10 / 12
  • Current and voltage per contact
  • Thread standard — 1/2-20UNF or 5/8-18UNF
  • Cable length and jacket type
  • Harness style — moulded or modular
Bulk orders, OEM/ODM and custom core configurations: rita.yang@leaka.cn · +86 181 0696 1932

Related Reading

Three notes to help clarify product requirements before contacting the supplier.

Rubber Injection Molded Cable Plugs for Underwater Equipment

Rubber injection molding turns a cable plug into a bonded, strain-controlled structure rather than a simple waterproof shell around a cable.

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Why 316L Stainless Steel Is Used in Subsea Connector Bodies

316L earns its place in seawater connector bodies through molybdenum, low carbon, and a self-repairing passive film, though crevices and stagnant water still shape real performance.

Read article

What Is a Wet Mate Underwater Connector?

A wet mate underwater connector joins electrical contacts while submerged, which separates it from dry mate designs and shapes how bulkhead receptacles and cable plugs are used.

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Frequently Asked Questions

what are the documented specifications of the il16f bh16m connector?

the product page lists a 7000 m working depth, 800 vac withstand voltage, 200 mω resistance, 5 a on a single core, a 1/2-20unf installation thread, a standard 316l stainless steel base and a fluoro rubber o-ring with a 12.5 × 1.8 mm inner diameter. the item number is 00946 and the connector is supplied as male and female with an ip69 rating.

how does the single-core il16f bh16m differ from the bh multi-contact series?

il16f bh16m carries one core at 5 a with a 1/2-20unf installation thread. the bh series table lists 6, 8, 10 and 12 contacts at 10 a each with a 5/8-18unf thread, 12 v – 220 v rated voltage, 800 v or 600 v one-minute test voltage, 200 mω contact resistance and 1/17 to 0.5/20 awg wire sizes.

which thread standard does my bulkhead need?

il16f bh16m uses a 1/2-20unf installation thread, while the bh series table is headed by a 5/8-18unf thread. match the bulkhead and panel cutout to the connector's own thread before ordering, because the two families are not interchangeable at the mounting point.

what materials and seals are used in the connector body?

the listing describes a plug end made by rubber injection molding and a socket built from stainless steel glass sintering, which the page says gives good airtightness. the base material is standard 316l stainless steel and the supplied o-ring is fluoro rubber, 12.5 × 1.8 mm.

what should i check before mating or unmating the connector?

apply conductive silicone oil before plugging or unplugging, pull the connector straight out without twisting left or right, and never pull on the cable itself. route cable away from sharp bends, support it with bulkheads, and keep joints free of inclined external force, excessive heat and direct sunlight.

how do i order bulk quantities or a custom core configuration?

the page states that the number of cores and their sizes are selected according to customer requirements, and invites buyers to contact the team to place a bulk order. send your working depth, contact count, current per contact, thread, cable length and harness style so the assembly can be built to your specification.

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