TWO-PIECE LEAD SEAL POTHEAD CONNECTOR

• Main Authors: PLUMMER, LEONARD M, RENTZEL, RICHARD T, LEYVA, BARTOLO L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 22.03.2005
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CURRENT COLLECTORS; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; ELECTRICITY; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; LINE CONNECTORS; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS

An electric submersible pump is provided having a pothead connector for use to connect a downhole cable to an electric motor of the submersible pump. The pothead connector has a tubular housing having an inner end and an outer end. The downhole cable has electrical conductors which are separately covered by insulation layers. Lead sheaths separately extend around each of the insulation layers to encase each the electrical conductors. The downhole cable extends through the inner end and into the tubular housing, and then is electrically connected to the electric motor through the outer,end of the tubular housing. An insulator is provided in the outer end of the tubular housing for separating electrical conductors in alignment for mating with a connector mounted to the electric motor. A lead based alloy solder seal is disposed within the tubular housing, intermediately between the inner and outer ends. The solder seal extends between and is wetted to the protective lead sheaths and an interior perimeter of the tubular housing to seal therebetween. An epoxy layer extends between the cable and the interior perimeter of the tubular housing, adjacent to an outer end of the lead based alloy solder seal. A second epoxy layer is disposed within the tubular housing on an inner side of the lead based alloy solder seal, opposite from the outer side. Fasteners secure the tubular housing to the electric motor.