Metal-to-metal sealed power connection for submersible pump motor

An apparatus for placement within a well, comprising:

• a motor having a head;
• at least one conductor passage in the head, the conductor passage having a conical seat;
• a motor electrical lead extending upward into a lower end of the conductor passage;
• a motor contact member electrically connected with the motor lead and located in the conductor passage below the seat, the motor contact member having an upward facing terminal surface;
• a power lead extending to the head for supplying power to the motor, the power lead comprising:
• a hard tube having a lower portion that inserts into an upper portion of the conductor passage, the tube having a lower end below the seat;
• a sealing ferrule encircling the tube;
• a compression nut encircling the tube and engaging threads on the head, the compression nut having a lower end in engagement with the ferrule and deforming the ferrule into sealing engagement with the tube and the seat;
• an electrical conductor having a layer of insulation within the tube, the electrical conductor and layer of insulation having a protruding portion extending downward past the lower end of the tube;
• a conductor contact member on a lower end of the conductor and in partial stabbing engagement with the motor contact member, the conductor contact member having a downward facing terminal surface spaced from the terminal surface of the motor contact member by a gap;
• and
• the gap enabling the conductor contact member and the motor contact member to move toward each other into full stabbing engagement with each other, eliminating the gap, in response to thermal growth during operation of the motor.

An apparatus for placement within a well, comprising:

• a motor having a head with a central bore having a longitudinal axis;
• at least one conductor passage in the head, the conductor passage inclining toward the central bore in a downward direction, the conductor passage having a conical seat located below a set of threads and a downward facing shoulder in the conductor passage below the seat;
• a rigid insulator sleeve located in the conductor passage, the insulator sleeve having an upper end in engagement with the downward facing shoulder, the insulator sleeve having an insulator sleeve passage extending therethrough;
• a guard sleeve inserted into the central bore and having a lower portion that extends downward from the central bore and has a larger outer diameter than the central bore;
• an upward facing shoulder on the lower portion of the guard sleeve that engages a lower end of the insulator sleeve to retain the insulator sleeve in the conductor passage;
• a motor electrical lead extending into a lower portion of the insulator sleeve passage;
• a motor contact member electrically connected with the motor lead and located in the insulator sleeve passage, the motor contact member having an upward facing terminal surface;
• a power lead extending to the head for supplying power to the motor, the power lead comprising:
• a hard tube having a lower portion that inserts into an upper portion of the conductor passage, the tube having a lower end below the seat;
• a sealing ferrule encircling the tube;
• a compression nut encircling the tube and engaging the threads in the conductor passage, the compression nut having a lower end in engagement with the ferrule that deforms the ferrule into sealing engagement with the tube and the seat;
• an insulated electrical conductor having a protruding portion extending downward past the lower end of the tube;
• and
• a conductor contact member on a lower end of the conductor in stabbing engagement with the motor contact member.