adjusted to 50 amperes and sustained for 7 hours. 

 The voltage drop across the connector and cables 

 increased from 2.9 to 3.0 VAC due to the temper- 

 ature rise of the cables. 



This test was followed by a power transmission 

 test in a dry environment. Connections were made as 

 shown in Figure 18. The connector transmitted 100 

 kw for about 3 hours at 4,160 VAC. 



The connector was then installed in a 

 10-foot-deep tank of seawater for 2 weeks. Again 100 

 kw was transmitted for two 4-hour periods, one at 

 the initiation of the test and one at the conclusion. 

 Leakage currents remained less than 3 /iA at 8,000 

 VDC during the 2-week immersion. The performance 

 of the connectors was again excellent. 



Underwater Mating Test. A battery-powered, 

 remote-controlled drive system was fabricated to 

 mate the connector in a series of experiments to 

 determine the performance of the pin-wiping seals 

 and the overall performance as a deep-ocean wet con- 

 nector. The drive system was designed to activate the 

 alignment and guide cone assembly used earlier 

 during diver-supported mating tests. The first test was 

 performed in about 10 feet of seawater, where the 

 connector was mated five times. The drive system 

 used with the connector was geared to about 10 rpm 

 and the male connector moved about 3 inches in 90 

 seconds to complete a mating or unmating. The 

 leakage current remained at or below 1 nA for each 

 phase during thest tests. 



The connector was moved to the NCEL 

 72-inch-diameter DOL for mating tests under high- 

 pressure with power transmission. High voltage 

 electrical cables and penetrators were used to provide 

 power transmission through the pressure vessel head 

 to the connector as shown in Figure 19. The pressure 

 vessel was filled with cold seawater (S'-'C) and pres- 

 surized to 3,000 psi. The connector was mated and 

 unmated a total of 16 times and up to 120 kw of 

 power was transmitted at intervals during the 5-day 

 test. Insulation and current-carrying tests made at the 

 conclusion of the experiments showed no degradation 

 of electrical performance from the multiple under- 

 water matings at high pressure. 



Undersea Mating Test. The electric actuator was 

 again used to evaluate the electrical performance of 

 the connector during and following multiple 



underwater matings, this time under actual at-sea 

 conditions. The arrangement for this test is shown in 

 Figure 20. A high-strength electromechanical cable 

 was used to lower the battery-powered, remote- 

 controlled connector to a depth of 4,000 feet. A high 

 voltage coaxial circuit within the E/M cable was used 

 to monitor the insulation leakage current at 8,000 

 VDC during the test. Twelve matings were achieved 

 during this test, and again there was no indication of 

 electrical degradation. 



It is important to note that at the conclusion of 

 this test a total of 3 3 underwater matings had been 

 achieved with no degradation of performance. During 

 these tests pressure-compensating dielectric fluid was 

 not replenished and electrical insulation properties 

 did not change. The dielectric fluid was drained from 

 the connector and found to be free of seawater. A 

 trace of gold particles, from the wiping action of the 

 contacts, was found dispersed in the oil. It is believed 

 that the mechanical wear of the contacts would allow 

 several hundred mating cycles without any mainten- 

 ance. The pin-wiping 0-ring seals were removed and 

 inspected under a microscope for wear or "nibbling" 

 and were found in perfect condition, indicating the 

 reliability of this sealing arrangement. 



Remote Mating Test Using Deep Submersibles 

 With Manipulators. Many projected applications of 

 the wet connector depend on the ability to make 

 connections in the deep ocean. To determine the 

 feasibility of this approach the alignment device and 

 wet connector set shown in Figure 21 were fabricated 

 and shipped to New London, Connecticut, for under- 

 sea tests utilizing the nuclear research submarine 

 NR-1 and its manipulator. The connectors and test 

 stand were taken to sea by the NR-1 and tested in 

 deep water near the Bahama Islands. 



The test was successful. NR-1 unmated and then 

 mated the connector utilizing its manipulator. 

 Difficulties were experienced with the lift lines for 

 the test stand and the currents required reorienting 

 the stand three times during the two hours of testing. 

 Although the connector half could be handled 

 successfully there was need for a more positive grip 

 point for the manipulator claw and for more definite 

 color and pattern keys to display connector align- 

 ment and relative motion during mating. These 

 handicaps made the alignment and engaging of the 

 connector halves the most time-consuming portion of 



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