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WAGO Gelbox Protects Connectors from Moisture

Condensation, heavy precipitation, powerful water jets: When moisture meets electricity, a short circuit can happen quickly. And encapsulation has been widely used to shield electrics from moisture. But now, reliable moisture protection for splicing connectors can be achieved even faster and easier with the WAGO Gelbox. It is ready for immediate use in a wide range of low- and extra-low voltage applications.

Your Benefits:

Easy, fast and safe to use
Can be used immediately and accessed again later
Silicon-free
Label-free
Suitable for indefinite storage
The complete system consisting of Gelboxes and WAGO Splicing Connectors has been VDE-tested and IPX8-certified.

Product Finder: Gelbox

Which Gelbox is the right one for my WAGO installation connector? You can easily answer this question with the Gelbox product finder. Simply select your connector, and the product finder will guide you to the right Gelbox.

What is the WAGO Gelbox?

The WAGO Gelbox is a compact box pre-filled with silicone-free gel. The Gelbox is available in six sizes and provides IPX8 levels of moisture protection for WAGO’s 221 Series COMPACT Splicing Connectors and 2773 Series COMPACT PUSH WIRE^® Connectors. This protection type means that the connectors are completely sealed against water and can be permanently immersed in water. Conventional potting compounds like polyurethane and silicone also meet IPX8 requirements.

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However, the WAGO Gelbox’s distinctive feature is that it protects the electrical installation exactly where it matters – at the connection points – without permanently encapsulating the junction boxes. Unlike silicone-based gel, the WAGO Gelbox’s silicone-free gel supports a virtually unlimited number of applications.

Where can the Gelbox be used?

The WAGO Gelbox can be used in a wide range of low- and extra-low-voltage applications. However, its use differs somewhat among the specific voltage ranges. For example, in low-voltage applications (e.g., 230 V), the Gelboxes are used in junction boxes together with splicing connectors. This is the only way to ensure double cable insulation to protect against electric shock, since only the conductors are encapsulated in the WAGO Gelbox. In SELV (Safety Extra Low Voltage) applications, the WAGO connectors can be used with Gelboxes without an additional junction box.

How is the WAGO Gelbox used?

Installation is easy: Open the box, insert the connectors, close the box. In more detail: Open the WAGO Gelbox, place the wired splicing connectors in the box and close the box with slight pressure. The gel wraps itself completely around the installation.

Thanks to their compact design, WAGO Gelboxes can be easily housed in any distribution box. Thanks to the different housing variants, multiple connectors can be housed in one WAGO Gelbox to free up additional space in the distribution box. If a circuit needs to be expanded, the boxes can be easily re-opened and quickly and reliably re-wired – a real advantage over standard electronics encapsulation. The wires that connected in the old installation can be reused for the new one. However, this requires new connectors and Gelboxes – this is the only way WAGO can guarantee the high degree of protection.

Why use the WAGO Gelbox?

The WAGO Gelbox offers completely new possibilities for protecting splicing connectors from moisture. This means that the boxes can be easily accommodated in any junction box – regardless of whether they are mounted on the wall or under the ceiling. First of all, the time required for mixing the components is eliminated. Secondly, additional time is saved because you do not have to wait until the mixed potting compound has finally hardened or dried. In addition, the gel is non-hazardous because its chemicals have already reacted, which makes the WAGO Gelbox ready for immediate use. The box is already prefilled with gel and seals the connection immediately, allowing electrical systems to be deployed right after installation without interruption – quickly, easily and reliably.

Moisture Protection for Inline Splicing Connectors

Moisture lurks everywhere, especially for wiring in outdoor areas – whether it’s installing an outdoor lamp or pump. If moisture penetrates, it could quickly lead to errors. The new Gelboxes offer optimal IPX8 protection. Meike Beimstroh, Product Portfolio Manager Installation Connectors, shows you how to use the Gelbox in the video using the 221 Series Inline Splicing Connector as an example.

Cellpack-Quality Gel – Silicone- and Label-Free

WAGO relies on the proven quality of Cellpack-brand gel. This well-known potting compound manufacturer co-developed the Gelbox with WAGO. The Cellpack gel used offers three main advantages over conventional encapsulation. Chief among them: The gel is silicone-free. This allows the Gelbox to be used in any branch of industry – even those where varnishes, paints and other sensitive products are used, such as the automotive industry. Secondly, the silicone-free gel has already reacted, so it is fully label-free and can be stored indefinitely. This cannot be said of all components used to manufacture potting compounds. In addition, the silicone-free gel potting compound uniquely allows a user to re-access the connection – the keyword here: re-accessibility.

Is the WAGO Gelbox safe?

To ensure comprehensive safety, the developers of the WAGO Gelbox have focused on the overall system consisting of box, connectors and gel. The WAGO Gelbox meets the same tough test requirements as the WAGO connectors in compliance with EN 60998. The product’s high degree of safety is confirmed by a neutral party in the VDE test report.

Risk of short circuit: What causes moisture to form?

How do moisture and humidity form in a junction box? Condensation can arise from rapid temperature changes, for example. This is often the case during transitional periods, such as spring and autumn, when the warm air inside the housing meets the cold housing wall of the connector chamber and it cools down abruptly. The result: condensation on the housing’s inner wall. This physical effect is further magnified by power loss, which increases heat compared to the outside temperature.

These temperature differences also lead to pressure differences, which allow fresh air to flow into the connector over and over, introducing moisture. In total, a considerable amount of water can accumulate within the connector.

But heavy rainfall or a strong water jet that's too close to a junction box can also cause moisture in junction boxes. “The moisture within the connector can then cause the current to take completely new paths, quickly leading to a short circuit.” However, this is often only noticed when protective devices are triggered, i.e., when the fuses blow.

FAQ

The WAGO Gelbox is only tested and approved when combined with WAGO’s 2773 Series connectors and WAGO’s 221 Series COMPACT Splicing Connectors for conductor cross-sections up to 4 mm2. The box is available in six sizes. For each box, there is a layout that clearly specifies a fixed assignment based on the connectors that will be used.

Yes: The connectors are completely sealed against water and can be permanently immersed in water (however, with, for example, pressurized water, this is only permitted on the application side for complete cable sets).

The IPX8 protection type means that the connectors in the WAGO Gelbox are completely sealed against water and can also be permanently submerged in water. Basically, ingress protection (IP) codes are standardized according to DIN: the higher the number, the higher the degree of protection. With two-digit numbers such as IP68, the first number describes the protection against contact and dust (0 … 6), the second the protection against water and humidity (0 … 9).

Anywhere in the extra-low voltage range – so-called SELV (Safety Extra Low Voltage) applications – and low-voltage range (e.g., 230 V) where your electrical installation requires waterproof protection against moisture and humidity, without silicone. You can find possible applications here

The Gelbox is available in nine different sizes. Thanks to the different housing variants, multiple connectors can be housed in one WAGO Gelbox to free up additional space in the distribution box. Each box has a terminal diagram that specifies a fixed assignment depending on what connectors are used.

The wired splicing connectors are placed in the box. Then, the box is closed with slight pressure. The gel wraps itself completely around the installation. Please note the different ways it is used in the low voltage and extra-low voltage ranges, as well as the information on initial installation and rewiring.

The Gelbox can be stored indefinitely because the gel used has already reacted.

Yes, it’s label-free because the chemicals within the gel have already completely reacted. This means that the gel does not contain any hazardous substances in any concentrations that would require labeling based on the Ordinance on Hazardous Substances.

No: In order to ensure a high degree of protection, both the Gelbox and the connectors must be replaced when reinstalling or rewiring.

It depends on the voltage range: For SELV (Safety Extra Low Voltage) applications, an additional housing such as a junction box is not required. In contrast, the low-voltage range (230 V) does need one, because safety regulations require double insulation.

The WAGO Gelbox, combined with both the WAGO 221 and 2273 Series Connectors, is VDE-tested to EN 60998 standards and is IPX8 certified.

BBC Cellpack-brand silicone-free gel is used, specifically, polyurethane gel with Cellpack brand quality.

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