Does this connection ever need to be made or broken underwater? For many subsea systems, the honest answer is no. An instrument is assembled and tested on deck, the cables are connected, and the package is lowered into position to stay there for months or years. For those systems, a dry mate connector is usually the right choice. It is mated in a dry environment before deployment, locked, and then trusted to keep water out for the life of the installation. Paquin, through its Global Intex division, supplies dry-mate subsea connectors rated to 600 bar (about 8,700 psi), in metal shell, rubber-bodied and fiber optic versions, alongside a broad wet-mate portfolio.
Wet-mate or dry-mate: the first decision
Every subsea connector specification starts with the mating environment. Choosing the wrong family creates problems that later engineering cannot easily undo.
| Consideration | Dry-mate connectors | Wet-mate connectors |
|---|---|---|
| Where they are mated | Topside: on deck, in a workshop or a controlled environment | While submerged, by a diver or ROV |
| Typical deployment | Fixed or long-duration installations that stay connected | Systems that must be reconfigured underwater |
| Sealing approach | O-ring seals made and locked before the connector enters the water | Designed to exclude water from the contacts during and after mating |
If a system needs underwater reconfiguration, wet-mate is the only option. If the connection will be made once, above the waterline, dry-mate is usually the simpler and more robust solution.
Paquin's dry mate connector series
All of the series below are rated for operation from -40 to 140°F (-40 to 60°C).
| Series | Contacts | Ratings | Construction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal Shell G (compact) | 2–8 | 300 V DC; 5 A per contact, 20 A per connector; 600 bar | 316 stainless steel body; gold-plated brass contacts and sockets |
| Metal Shell L (large) | 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12 or 16 | 600 V DC (2–5 contacts) or 300 V DC (7–16); 30 A per connector; 600 bar | 316 stainless steel body; gold-plated brass contacts and sockets |
| Metal Shell S fiber optic | 1 fiber (standard or mini) | Low insertion loss; 300 bar | Stainless steel receptacle; brass cable plug |
| 55 Series | 8 | 600 V DC; 4 A per contact, 30 A per connector; 600 bar | Chloroprene rubber connector body; brass, 316 stainless or titanium receptacle body |
The electrical series share an insulation resistance above 200 MΩ and contact resistance below 0.01 Ω. Each series is offered in the configurations needed to build a complete link: flange-mounted and bulkhead receptacles for housings, cable plugs, a right-angle cable plug on the Metal Shell G, and cable receptacles on the 55 Series. Pressure caps and dummy connectors protect unused connections, and cable plugs lock with a threaded sleeve so the joint cannot loosen once the system is deployed.
Choosing between the series
- Moderate signal and power counts: the Metal Shell G covers 2 to 8 contacts in a compact stainless shell that stands up to knocks during handling.
- Higher pin counts or higher voltage: the Metal Shell L reaches 16 contacts, and its 2- to 5-contact versions are rated to 600 V DC.
- Optical data: the Metal Shell S carries a single fiber through a stainless receptacle, for instruments that need fiber bandwidth across a pressure boundary.
- Material choice at the housing: the 55 Series offers brass, 316 stainless or titanium receptacle bodies, so the connector suits both the housing material and the water chemistry.
Installation and handling
A dry-mate connection is only as good as its assembly. The manufacturer's guidance covers four areas:
- Greasing: before every mating, grease the connector with Molykote 111 or Molykote 44 Medium. Fill the female socket to at least one third of its depth, and keep O-rings on bulkhead and flange receptacles well greased.
- Mounting: machine receptacle bores to the specified diameter and tolerance, and tighten bulkhead nuts to the recommended torque for the thread size and housing material. PEEK, brass and aluminum call for lower values than stainless steel and titanium.
- Mating and unmating: pull connectors straight apart, avoid angular loads on bulkheads, and do not pull on the cable or bend it sharply at the entry point.
- Storage: keep connectors out of prolonged heat and direct sunlight. If a connector has become excessively dry, soak it in fresh water before deployment.
Custom cable assemblies from Global Intex
Global Intex, a division of The Paquin Company, offers wet-mate and dry-mate submersible cabling and develops custom connector and harness builds at its in-house manufacturing center in Mentor, Ohio. A dry-mate connector can therefore be supplied as part of a complete cable assembly rather than as a loose part.
For a wider view of subsea connectivity, see our technical overview of subsea connectors and cable assemblies, or browse the wet-mate subsea connector range. We also offer a great deal of subsea products not currently listed on our website, please ask for these.
Plan your subsea connections with Paquin
Start with the deployment, not the part number. Contact Paquin to request a quote, and include the deployment depth, fresh or salt water, contact count and signal types, voltage and current, cable lengths and housing material. Our team will recommend the dry-mate series and configuration to match.
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