Liquid Tight Strain Relief & Cable Gland Accessories

The strain relief connector is a simple but integral part of virtually any cable connection setup. Whether you're working on a static or dynamic installation, strain relief accessories play a vital role in keeping those electrical connections in place for long-term use. Naturally, where there are electrical cables, there's often a need for protection against liquids, dust, chemicals, extreme temperatures, and mechanical strain. These factors can adversely affect system performance - and that's where our extensive range of liquid tight strain relief cord grip connectors come in.

At RS, we stock thousands of liquid tight strain relief accessories (better known as cable gland accessories to European customers) that cover every installation and product requirement. Choose from a range of materials, fittings, body styles, and sizes from the industry's most trusted names including American Electrical, Altech, and Heyco, as well as our very own RS Pro line.

As one of North America's largest distributors, much of our range is in stock and available for same day shipping. Read on to find out more about the applications, types, and benefits of our cable gland accessories, or start your order today.

Got a question? Get in touch and our experts will be happy to help.

What are liquid tight strain relief connectors?

Liquid tight strain relief connectors are a specialist type of strain relief connector used in electrical and computer components to protect against moisture, dust, and other forms of ingress.

Liquid tight strain relief connectors act in the same way standard strain relief accessories do, offering stress relief for cable connections to reduce the risk of cable pull out, breakage, or disconnection at junction box and termination points. However, they also offer additional liquid, dust, and temperature protection by creating a tight seal around the cable connection.

This makes them an essential component in systems where, for instance, liquid damage is a concern. The risk of damage, diminished performance, and system failure that can result from liquid working its way into cable connection setups is consequently vastly reduced.

Liquid tight strain relief accessories come in an extensive range of material, fitting, body style, and sizing formats to suit a broad spectrum of industrial and commercial purposes - all of which you can find here in the RS catalogue.

What are the benefits of using liquid tight cable glands?

Liquid tight strain relief cord grip connectors offer the standard strain relief benefits, but with the added extra of a liquid tight seal to offer extra protection against potentially harmful contaminants.

The benefits of installing liquid tight cable glands include:

• Reduced cable strain: strain relief connectors reduce the amount of stress applied to the electrical connections and circuitry found in cable connections, limiting the risk of damage to the key functioning components of the system.
• Reduced disconnection risk: limiting cable strain means a much-reduced risk of cable breakage or disconnection at the terminal point.
• Sealed protection against contaminants: the liquid tight seal means no adverse effects from liquid, dust, or extreme temperatures that can be catastrophic to cable systems.
• Long-term value: the above benefits mean your cables have greater protection for longer term use and durability, meaning a lower cost to you over time.

What are the different types of liquid tight strain relief connectors?

With over 3,000 cable gland lock nuts, washers, plates and plugs in our range, we're confident we've got the right product for your next project, whatever your requirements.

Such are the numerous, varying needs for liquid strain relief connectors, you'll find a wealth of cord grip connector options suited to industrial and commercial systems, as well as static and dynamic installations.

Generally speaking, strain relief connectors can be broken down into the following categories:

• Protection class/fitting: liquid tight cable glands can seal via different mechanics, including o-ring, sealing ring, nut/lock, IP67, and IP68 fittings.
• Material: many liquid tight connectors are made from rubber, specialist plastics, or other synthetic materials to prevent moisture ingress. However, you'll find other material options, including nylon and metals such nickel-plated brass and stainless steel - the latter being suitable for larger cable connections.
• Body style: different body style configurations of liquid tight strain relief are available to offer different protective functions based on the system panel in question. Dome top strain reliefs help prevent damage from sharp edges, for example, while flex top (pig tail) connectors offer additional support against kinking via bends at the point of entry.
• Size: naturally, the wide range of applications for liquid tight cable gland accessories means they come in a huge range of length and width options to suit any given project.
• Want help finding the right cord grip connector for the job? Use the filters available at the top of the page to narrow your search by specific protection classes, materials, lengths, widths, special features, and colors.

What are the applications for liquid tight cable glands and cord grip connectors?

Strain relief connectors are essential in any system that's substantial enough to create strain on the cable connection setup. As such, applications cover a full spectrum of commercial and industrial requirements.

With respect to liquid tight strain relief cable connectors specifically, the additional liquid, dust, and extreme temperature protection makes them a common feature in industrial applications where contaminant risks present a key hazard to day-to-day operation. However, they're also found in commercial and home projects to increase the efficiency of cable setups in long-term use.

How to choose the right liquid tight strain relief accessories

With thousands of liquid tight strain relief connectors available, it's essential you have an idea of the type of cable gland required for your project. Some questions you'll need to ask yourself before buying are:

• What method do you want to attach the cable by?
• What type of material is best suited for the fitting?
• What type of mount and body style will best protect the cable?
• What length, width, and diameter do you need?
• What thread type do you require?

Why buy cable gland accessories from RS?

As one of North America's biggest suppliers of electrical components, we pride ourselves on delivering the highest quality and broadest product range to our customers from a huge spectrum of commercial and industrial backgrounds. With thousands of liquid tight strain relief accessories in stock and ready to ship today, you don't need to look anywhere else for professional grade strain relief products.

We're ready to help you complete your order today. Contact us if you'd like to know about a product in our range or if you have a question about our service. Also, be sure to look at our expert hub for practical industry guides and updates.