Issue link: https://te.mouser.com/i/1522667
2 TE CONNECTIVITY / SEALED CONNECTORS: ENHANCING HVAC SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AND LONGEVITY STRATEGIES FOR UPPORTING ROBUST CONNECTOR PERFORMANCE Airborne contaminants like dust, pollen, and other particles pose significant threats to HVAC systems, clogging filters and infiltrating internal components. In areas with high pollution or salt content, these effects worsen. Outdoor units are vulnerable to damage from strong winds, rain, hailstorms, floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, potentially causing electrical shorts, corrosion, and physical damage to condenser coils and fins, requiring costly repairs or replacements. Given the harsh operating conditions, HVAC systems and their components must withstand thermal shock, condensation, and humidity to mitigate corrosion effectively, ensuring uninterrupted operations and providing safe, comfortable environments for occupants of residential, commercial, and industrial buildings alike. Avoiding connector performance issues can be paramount in maintaining HVAC system reliability. This can involve employing appropriate design principles, utilizing IP-rated sealed connectors, selecting durable materials, leveraging advanced plating technology, and employing secure locking methods—these are techniques utilized by TE in the development of its connector portfolio. SOLUTION WHAT CAN LEAD TO CONNECTOR FAILURE? Considerations to solve your harsh environment application requirements. CONCERN ENVIRONMENTAL SEALING Select appropriate Ingress Protection (IP) rating and seals to protect against dust and moisture in extreme environments. IMPROPER SELECTION Moisture and undersized connectors can lead to decreased connector life or potential failure. MATERIAL SELECTION Select materials suitable for the application environment to prevent potential failure. OPERATING TEMPERATURE Connectors not rated for extremely high or low temperatures may eventually fail. PLATING TECHNOLOGY Select connectors with appropriate mating cycles, durability, and performance. MATING FACTOR Frequent mating and unmating of a connector can potentially cause failure. CONNECTOR DESIGN / CUSTOMIZATION Consider connector's shape, size, mating mechanism, and pin positioning. IMPROPER DESIGN AND INSTALLATION Shock or other damaging motions along with improper mounting may result in damage to connector contacts, mating shells and cables. LOCKING / COUPLING METHODS Select the appropriate locking/coupling mechanism to provide secure connection points in harsh environments. VIBRATION / LOOSE WIRING High vibration in industrial applications can cause the terminal wires to loosen, resulting in broken or intermittent connections.