Can you make a splash with waterproof connectors?

Splash? Submersion? Rain? Snow? Of course, sometimes when we're brainstorming for design ideas, we always assume that the users are idiots and they're going to do something really bad with the product.

So, you have to be creative and do all kind of tests to assure that your product is going to survive all kinds of idiots and different environments.

My idea is to build a weather/environment monitoring station, this will have a wired mode for a local monitoring and a wireless for remote monitoring. 

Last year I moved to Milwaukee, I live really close to Lake Michigan, I'm planning on test the waterproofness of the connectors in the lake, also if there's another snowstorm that will be a cool opportunity to test it in that kind of extreme environment.

as some components are rated IP67, any submersible is not guaranteed to be operational after 30 minutes and/or below 1 meter of water, so operating Panda at the bottom of muddy puddle  seems a bit risky... :)

Always test the connectors and enclosure without the expensive stuff inside first ... only when you're sure it's all fitted properly and is water tight, then you can risk the expensive stuff.

But yes, while some are waterproof, they may not work properly while immersed especially if not mated with their matching counterpart. Standard only guarantees a certain pressure and time, so perhaps longer term tests are a good thing.

- Gough

yes - that's something worth testing, but I am afraid that during challenge's timeframe some problems would be hard to single-out (possible corrosion for example)

A salt spray test could solve that issue, without a proper chamber that could not be the most accurate test but for experimenting purposes a bucket and some heat could be just enough.

Of course, and the statement of 'waterproof' makes the assumption that you're working with a clean source, but what if you're not?

In fact, what if it's not only a contaminated liquid with particulates and free radicals, but a food based liquid?

So many variables when 'liquid' is more of a state than simply acknowledging 'water'.

Waterproof does not means only fit for water related workong environment. Dusty air in desert also need waterproof connectors. Such connectors are only choice for long range oil transportation pipeline.

It does not mean fully insulated. There are some minor leakage to balance air pressure when inner air is heated in operation.

I remember once having remote sensor for weather station sporting hole in the enclosure (some foil around LCD display peeled off) - and it was working at least several months (maybe a year) on balcony  (protected from direct rain but not from moisture) until it finally failed, so if water jet/submersion isn't tested one may not see any additional value of waterproof components. I have also encountered small car lamp with damaged seal that only failed when one of it's contacts was almost entirely eaten up by corrosion from being full of rain water...  So - it will be challenge to prepare meaningful tests for specified time-frame...

I'm sure one could create a splash simply with a bucket of water and the addition of some connectors from a height. Gravity will easily take over from there ;).

Nice to see the challenge go live ... might give it a try even though I don't really need the prizes ... the thought of the custom-cut enclosure sounds nice to me and a bit of water is a practical challenge for any outdoor electronics. There's always been a bit of a divide between the "seal it up all the way" and "leave a small opening to let water which has somehow entered, escape" depending on the application. The problem mainly boils down to the seals in some cases not being perfect and oscillations in pressure caused by temperature eventually allow humidity to get in, condense and do potentially bad things ...

I've had good luck so far with "weatherproof" enclosures, but nothing in the "bottom half" of them ... and a drainage hole. Before that, I would find my containers slowly filling with water ... but granted, those "weatherproof" boxes didn't exactly have any IP-rating.

- Gough

The timing of this design challenge is perfect for the Winter to Spring transition in the Northern hemisphere.  Rain, snow, sleet, slush in the day and ice overnight... all those things that make Spring such a delightful time.  Build it.  Place it in the back yard (garden) and let Mother Nature do the rest.
Does it stay functional as an outdoor apparatus?
Does the heat of the day cause the enclose to draw moisture in as it cools in the evening?  Vacuum is a powerful force.
Does a change in temperature impact the seal?
These are my thoughts.