The most common shell configuration is two receptacles, back-to-back, and joined in the middle by a mounting flange. Common flanges are square with four mounting holes, and D-shaped jam nut, both of which can incorporate an O-ring seal against the mounting surface.  Specialized flanges include circular weld mount and solder mount types.  Usually, the connector interface on both ends is identical while the contact gender may be pin-to-pin, socket-to-socket, or pin-to-socket.     

     You may wonder why a connection like this is ever required.  Why can't the user run the wiring, harness or cable directly through the bulkhead or panel?  The answer is that in many applications, the user must be able to connect and disconnect at the bulkhead, panel or box for system maintenance and repair, or for the flexibility of connecting multiple cables to one or both sides.
     The use of bulkhead feed-through connectors compared to standard plugs and receptacles is small. Because of this, many connector manufacturers offer this product in a jury-rig or “kluge” fashion by hard wiring two receptacles back-to-
back, joining them with either a split shell or a small rectangular enclosure. This approach sacrifices electrical performance, limits the use of the feed-through to a benign environment and extends the overall length of the product.  Greater overall length in a bulkhead feed-through connector can be a serious problem when the shell size is large and the cables are bulky and heavy.  The extended length impacts external bend movement conditions of the connected system and, in the case of bayonet coupled connectors, may cause the plug to pop off the receptacle under load.
     Glenair eliminates hard wiring in our standard feed-through by use of a one-piece contact system similar to the one featured in our Sav-Con^® line of connector savers.  This contact allows us to offer superior electrical performance in harsh environments with the lowest overall feed-through connector length in the industry.  Contacts, shells, and insulators are tooled-up and available for virtually every cylindrical connector in use today, from MIL-DTL-5015 to MIL-C-38999.  Shell materials and finishes range from cadmium or nickel-plated aluminum to stainless steel and nickel-plated titanium.
      For specialty applications requiring penetration into a sealed compartment or through a sealed bulkhead, or extended high-temperature operation, Glenair manufacturers a complete line of hermetically sealed bulkhead feed-through connectors also with pin, socket or pin-to-socket contact gender. Other specialty  bulkhead feed-through connectors such as in-line, plug-to-receptacle, and coax / twin-ax insert arrangements are also available.  Glenair has been producing bulkhead feed-through connectors for over thirty years.  No one in the industry has a broader selection or greater capability when it comes to this specialty connector product.  Please stay on the lookout for applications in your territory.

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