Connector, gland, and grip options for industrial-automation cabling
Figure 7: Notice the color coding (adherent to IEC 60309) of this high-power cable connector. (Image source: Railway Tech)
Connectors standardized by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) are common on power cables for consumer and office as well as industrial applications. The IEC defines a range of non-locking connectors in the IEC 60320 standard with voltages to 250 V and current not exceeding 16 A. Here, the C13/C14 connector is commonly used for electronic equipment — including computer power supplies. Larger C19/C20 couplers are used
on the ends of cables carrying higher current — including server enclosures, for example. For more critical or demanding applications, IEC 60309 connectors are often preferred. These plugs, sockets, and couplers are expressly intended for industrial use and can carry voltages to 1,000 V, currents to 800 A, and frequencies to 500 Hz. All of these connectors provide some level of resistance against water ingress:
IP44 connectors are splash-proof, IP67 connectors are waterproof, and IP66/67 connectors can reliably prevent ingress even when subject to pressurized waterjets. Socket outlets may also be interlocked so that the socket cannot be energized unless it’s mated with a plug — and the plug cannot be removed until the power is switched off.
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