Homebuilt ROVs Forum

Hi all,
Seems too obvious and easy to be successful, but has anyone successfully used ip68 cable glands to pass wires through a hull? That's what they are built for right? So is it just extra caution the reason I haven't read too much about people using them?

Hi m_g, from my research the use of cable glands does work if your cable is free from any physical defect. A small puncture in the insulation and the water will follow it when under pressure and will enter the enclosure. Steve has a really great example on the main web site and shows how to use potting compund, epoxy, fiberglass or other to seal the wires to prevent this.

http://www.homebuiltrovs.com/howtosealingwireexits.html

Yeah, I guess I was keen to be able to reuse the wires without having to dig them out of the epoxy/ cut them free

Drumming up an old thread here
I understand the epoxy for running cables through the screw cap where you can fill with epoxy.
What about running 2 wires through the side of a round pipe and sealing the hole when you can't fill with epoxy on the inside like the cap?

Short answer- passing a cable through the side of a cylinder where there is no flat wall is difficult and best avoided. Much simpler to pass through a flat face.

It can be done, but to do it properly and reliably is not easy. It's done on the Video-Ray but they use carefully constructed plastic parts with o-rings to seal against the cylinder wall.

Thank you for the reply, that's a bummer cause I was hoping to avoid all the wires outside for better looks.