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Back to the Basics on Receptacles – Part 2

In a previous post, I talked about receptacles for automation equipment.  But there are many different types of mounting when it comes to receptacles.  When picking a mounting type, it is based on preference.  Each type of mounting has its good points.  Depending on what else is inside the cabinet, might sway which mounting is preferred.

r2_1A popular mounting is front mounting.  Front mounting comes into the panel from the outside of the control cabinet and is secured with lock (jamming) nut on the inside of the cabinet and sealed with an o-ring on the outside of the cabinet (figure to the right).  The o-ring with the lock nut gives the receptacle a tight seal to keep out dust and moisture.  It is one of the easier receptacles to replace since it is installed from the outside of the cabinet.

r2_2Another mounting type is back mounting.   With a back mounting, the threads are on the connector part of the receptacle.  Back mounting is the opposite of the front mounting with the o –ring and jamming nut on the outside of the cabinet.  A back mounting receptacle takes some preplanning.  The receptacle should go into the control cabinet first to make sure there is room for the other components in the cabinet like a power source, PLC or terminals.  If the receptacle needs replaced, then it might require some of the components in the cabinet to be removed to have enough room to remove the receptacle.

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Back to the Basics on Receptacles

From The Free dictionary by Farlex, a receptacle is defined as “A fitting connected to a power supply and equipped to receive a plug.”  I like this definition it describes both halves of the receptacle.  In the automotive industry, the back half of a receptacle has threading on the nut with leads that could possibly connect a power supply.  The front half describes which kind of cordset is needed.  Typically, receptacles are used in a control cabinet, where there is easy access and out of the movement of machinery.  Inside a control cabinet is a power source and/or programmable logic controller (PLC) which a receptacle would be wired to in the configuration of the controller.  Receptacles used on a control box normally have a tight seal to keep out moisture and dust.

receptacle_1When looking at a receptacle there are two ends with different kinds of threading.  In the front of the receptacle has a connection for a cable to connect to the outside environment, cells, and machinery, to the control box. The different cables could have diameter widths of M8, M12, 7/8”, 1” and more. From the picture, we see the front side of the receptacle calls for the M12x1 which would use a M12 cable. The first number is always the diameter of the outer threads.  The other end of the receptacle, ½”-14NPT, where the leads come out, has another diameter referred as to the mounting type.  There are many different kinds of mounting: Metric, PG, NPT, front mount, back mount, panel mount, etc.  The two mounts types being explained here are Metric and NPT.

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