Connector-Tech ALS (now CTALS) is a leading supplier of Anderson Power Products, TE Connectivity Deutsch and Phase 3 Powersafe connectors to Australian manufacturers, design engineers, electricians and wholesalers.

CTALS supplies over 950,000 Anderson Power Products to customers across Australia every year. We carry the widest range of Anderson plugs in every current rating, colour and wire size to suit applications from three to over 350 Amps in applications from caravans and camping to telecommunications power.

Our team of industrial and military connector experts has developed an unrivalled network of domestic and international supply options, guaranteeing the most-reliable, best-performing and cost-effective connector or cable assembly solution for your application. By working with manufacturers across the globe, CTALS can provide direct access to a suite of military connector options from Amphenol, Deutsch, Glenair, ITT Cannon and Yeonhab. We stock over 400 types of commercial MIL-DTL-5015 and MIL-DTL-26482 connector to control lead times on hard-to-find military plugs, receptacles, backshells and accessories.

As the official distributor for Phase 3 Powersafe and Showsafe connectors in Australia and New Zealand, CTALS holds the largest stocks of high-current (up to 800 Amp), three-phase generator, event and temporary power connectors in the Southern Hemisphere. Our team is factory trained to provide prompt and accurate technical assistance on the complete range of Powersafe line and panel-mount connectors, three-phase network connection devices and IP67-rated sequential mating boxes.

Whatever your connector requirement, our team of sales technicians is ready to assist you today.

You’ll notice the refreshing difference when you purchase an electrical connector from Connector-Tech ALS. We are committed to helping our customers find the right electrical connector, plug or contact to suit their needs. We pride ourselves on our highly personal and professional service and always offer a rapid response to any customer enquiries.

We stock a comprehensive range of harsh environment connectors and associated products here in Australia while we can also source an extended collection of products from our electrical connector suppliers overseas. We excel at working closely with our customers on all levels to provide optimal solutions for their specific projects. We will help you find the part you’re looking for with prompt delivery Australia wide.

Our sales staff are a valuable resource with their expert technical knowledge. The highly technical nature of the specialised products that we provide can make it tricky to know exactly what type of electrical connector you need. Our staff have many years of experience in providing harsh environment connector solutions and are always ready to offer their help.

At CTALS, we focus on delivering a level of service that exceeds our customer’ expectations and gives them full confidence in the products we supply. These traits are essential to our company culture and encourage long-term partnerships built on trust and performance. We believe these characteristics help us to maximise our effectiveness and efficiency which is mutually beneficial for our valued customers.

When purchasing electrical connectors, you need to be confident that they will stand up to any forces of nature they might be exposed to in the field. Even minor degradation in electrical connections can lead to major problems for industrial vehicles and result in costly stoppages. Harsh environment connectors are built to keep equipment running even when subjected to extreme conditions such as temperature, pressure, and shock and vibration.

Harsh environment connectors like those available from Connector-Tech ALS feature several design elements to help prevent degradation no matter what type of conditions they encounter. These features include durable contacts, watertight seals, rugged metal or thermoplastic shells, and a firm, secure locking mechanism.

Some of the elements that harsh environment connectors will protect against are:

Water – this includes rain, water vapour, and possible water submersion as any exposure to moisture can damage electrical connections.

Dust – industrial and outdoor environments often contain a lot of dust or dirt which can be caught in the components of electrical connectors.

Extreme temperatures – both very low (-55°C) and very high (150°C) temperatures can cause electrical systems to fail or malfunction.

Shock and vibration - mechanical stress from the regular use of electronic equipment can lead to cracks in solder joints, metal fatigue and loose fasteners.

Pressure – electrical connectors used in aerospace, nautical  and submarine applications may be required to operate while withstanding extreme pressures.

Corrosion – the high salt content of water and air in coastal and marine environments as well as some industrial chemicals can cause corrosion around electrical connections.

Rough handling – some connectors need to be mated and unmated multiple times in a day which increases the risk of wear and tear. Connectors being dropped or dragged along hard surfaces can also cause damage to the components and affect the connector’s reliability.

Once you understand the possible environmental challenges, you will be able to find the right electrical connector to work seamlessly for your intended application. Our highly knowledgeable staff at Connector-Tech ALS can also help with any questions you may have about the technical specifications of harsh environment connectors.

The IP Rating (which stands for Ingress Protection) is the two-digit grading system used to define an electrical connector’s protection from foreign bodies. The first digit indicates the level of dust protection and goes from 0 to 6, while the second digit indicates the protection from liquids and moisture from 0 to 9. For harsh environments, sealed connectors should always be dust-tight, with water ingress protection depending on the application.

Harsh environment connectors available from Connector-Tech ALS are most commonly rated IP44 and IP67:

IP44 4: Protection from solid objects ≤1mm | 4: Protection against splashing water

IP67 6: Protection from dust-sized objects | 7: Protection against immersion in water at depth of 1m for 30 mins

The benefit of the universal IP Rating system is that users can know exactly how safe it is to use an electrical connector in a specific environment and application. Other terms like ‘waterproof’ or ‘dust proof’ are not precise and make it difficult to know whether an electrical connector will withstand the environmental factors it will be exposed to.

Deutsch does not publish an IP rating for its electrical connectors, however our knowledgeable team is available to answer any questions you may have about the level of protection when you are looking to make a purchase from Connector-Tech ALS.