BIRNS Aquamate Connectors -- Quality Comparison
  1. Contacts:

    1. BIRNS uses only beryllium copper sockets as standard on all Aquamate connectors. Beryllium is an outstanding (and expensive) material used for springs and electrical contacts where extreme springiness is required thus ensuring thousands of matings. Our primary competitor uses simple brass.

    2. BIRNS uses brass sleeves to cover the socket contact area and thus prevent neoprene from being forced into the contacts during moulding. Our primary competitor does not use sleeves and drills out excess neoprene from contacts after moulding. Obviously this cannot be done without damaging the inside surface of the socket to some extent. Further, Our primary competitor’s connectors’ rubber is in direct contact with (and adheres to) the socket contacts, so they cannot move freely, and their ‘spring action’ is reduced. BIRNS connectors’ sockets are free to properly expand and contract to provide excellent electrical contact (i.e. low contact resistance) between the pin and socket.

    3. BIRNS has all contacts (pins and sockets) gold-plated to MIL-G-45204 as standard. Socket sleeves are nickel plated. Our primary competitor does not gold plate their contacts as a matter of course but only per special order.

  2. Neoprene: BIRNS uses a low-carbon neoprene compound to increase the electrical insulation of the connector. As a result “arcing” through the connector contacts is almost unknown. The neoprene compound used by our primary competitor is not known but it is has poorer insulation properties.

  3. Bonding: BIRNS uses superior bonding techniques in adhering the neoprene to the contacts, the metal insert, and the cable. This increases the ability of the connector to withstand high water pressures, and prevent peeling away of the connector from the base material over time.

  4. Anchoring: BIRNS has designed the bulkhead connector insert to include a “neck” and additional grooves thereby providing superior anchoring of the moulded neoprene to the bulkhead.

  5. Strain Relief: BIRNS provides a strain relief system within the cable connector to reduce, if not eliminate, the bending strain on the wires which causes wire breakage.

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