Are all Neoprene seals created equal? No. As with all seals, Neoprene is available in a variety of compounds, durometer hardnesses, and coatings. These traits make the selection of the proper material important and different for each task at hand.

FasTest has invested many years testing various sealing materials, compounds, and coatings to select those that exhibit the best performance characteristics. Keep in mind, seals used within test connectors are dynamic -- they are sliding, stretching, and compressing upon each connection. This dynamic action and the need to keep the seals lubricated must be taken into consideration when a connector is designed and seal material is selected.

The Problem

A FasTest customer purchased a group of XT connectors to test refrigeration products. When it was necessary to change the seals in the connectors for the first time, the customer chose to use a different brand of seals that were dimensionally and visually the same as the FasTest-specified seals.

Unfortunately, part failures rose dramatically. Maintenance and downtime became a major issue. Was this a problem in the customer's manufacturing? The connectors were new. The replacement seals were still Neoprene. There must be some other issue, but what?

Investigation

An independent researcher was called in to solve the problem. Manufacturing issues were quickly dismissed as the leak was traced to the connectors, not the parts. Had the connectors failed? To determine this, FasTest was given a group of connectors to rebuild using FasTest seals. Another group of connectors was rebuilt by the customer using another brand of Neoprene seals. The connectors were tested in identical situations.

The FasTest-rebuilt connectors outperformed the customer-rebuilt connectors but why? Were the connectors improperly rebuilt by the customer or was it due to the seal itself? The customer was then given a set of FasTest replacement seals to use in rebuilding the connectors. These connectors performed as well as the FasTest factory-rebuilt connectors.

The Conclusion

The seal material was the culprit all along. FasTest-specified Neoprene is resistant to the caustic effects of refrigerants while the other seals were not. After returning to FasTest seals, the customer has eliminated downtime and greatly reduced maintenance costs.

Neoprene is FasTest's general application seal material and is manufactured specifically to be compatible with FE and FI Series connectors. Neoprene stands up well in the majority of instances; it maintains its flexibility and is quite durable. It is recommended for applications using the following media:

• Refrigerants and Freon Gases with mineral based oils


• Hydraulic Oil / Run Testing


• Water / hydrostatic Testing


• Pneumatic / Pressure Decay Testing


• Mass Spectrometer Testing / Hydrogen, Helium or Argon


• Temperatures up to 250 degrees F

FasTest Urethane is best suited for extreme duty applications. It exhibits superior wear resistance to abrasive and high pressure applications. As with Neoprene, the company manufactures Urethane seals specifically to be compatible with FE and FI Series connectors. Urethane is recommended for:

• Sealing Threads


• Rough Castings


• Irregularly Shaped Parts. i.e.: Hexes, Ovals, Two Hole Seals


• Test Pressures above 150 psi.


• High Cycling


• Temperatures up to 175ºF.