Experimenting with Waterproof Connectors Forum - Recent Threads

Tips on Writing the Final Summary Blog and Winning the Big Prizes

rscasny — Tue, 30 May 2023 16:13:06 GMT

Hi all participants.

The Experimenting with Waterproof Connectors is winding down with the final extra credit blogs due today.

On June 6th, I'll review the Forum participation and add points earned for each participant.

That leaves the big one task left to do: The Final Summary Blog.

The final summary blog is worth 300 points. I'll hand them over to the judges who will score them. Since I have two judges, I will average their individual scores into a final score and add them to the points earned for the rest of the blogs.

I wanted to offer some tips on writing the final summary blog.

1. The final blog should summarize all the work and experimenting you ghave done with waterproof connectors. Hence, a focus on the waterproof connectors should be prominent in the final blog.

2. The intro blog and the 5 extra credit blogs were added to the program for a specific reason: They can help you write the final blog (while adding points). Rather than simply linking these supplement blogs in the final blog, use the information they have to write a self-contained final blog. Now, if you want to add links to your intro/extracredit blogs in your discussion, that's fine. But our intention is to give the judges your final blog to grade your efforts.

3. The final blog should demonstrate the technical merit and your creativity around employing waterproof connectors in an electronics design. So, providing images, screenshots, and other media to lend to your tech finesse and creativity should be utilized.

4. Beyond the waterproof connectors, we provided the latte panda SBC in the kit. Show the reader how you used it, how you prepared it, and how you connected it to the waterproof connectors.

5. Articulate what your experiments were and how they turned out.

6. Draw some conclusions about participating in this program. They can range from what you may have learned about waterproofing an electronics design to what the successes and challenges were.

7. Make sure your final blog flows with some logical structure. The judges are going to read it for the first time. They want so see not only what you did but how your experiments evolved. Of course, this depends on what you did.

Like I said, the final summary blog is worth 300 points. We want the final blog to be an authoritative document. The more comprehensive it is, the closer it will get to the 300 points.

Good luck.

Turning Lattepanda on without using power button

charlieo21 — Sun, 28 May 2023 20:08:54 GMT

I was having some problems with the Lattepanda software, I had to reinstall Windows, when I was doing it I found in the bios that you can enable a function that turn the lattepanda on when power is provided.

REMINDER: Experimenting with Waterproof Connectors Final Summary Blog (worth 300 points) is Due on June 6, 2023

rscasny — Tue, 23 May 2023 18:47:08 GMT

This forum entry is to remind all participants that their final summary blog is due on June 6, 2023.

This is the blog that I will give to the judges. (The extra credit blogs will already by scored by May 30.) So, they will not be given to the judges.

The judges will judge the final blogs based on a 300 point scale.

The final summary blog should be the best and most complete deliverable that you have created for this program.

The blog will be judged on technical merit and creativity.

If you have any more questions about the summary blog, feel free to ask any questions here.

Randall

element14 Team

Any Participant Can Still Win Big in the Experimenting with Waterproof Connectors Challenge

rscasny — Tue, 16 May 2023 20:51:11 GMT

I wanted to send out a reminder regarding two due dates in the Experimenting with Waterproof Connectors Challenge:

The Extra Credit blogs are due on May 30, 2023.
The final Blog is due on May 31, 2023.

While the extra credit blogs are worth 20 points each, the final blog is worth 300 points.

So, even if you did not do all the extra credit blogs, if you do a super duper job on the final blog, you can still win big.

Thus, the final blog is the most important thing you do in this competition. It should be detailed and really spell out what you did and what you discovered. It will be judged on its technical merit and creativity.

The final blogs are what I will send to our two Top Member judges. (The extra credit blogs will already have been scored, so their point totals will be tabulated into the point totals.)

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I'll try to reply promptly.

Randall

--element14

Threaded Inserts to Mount RJ45 Backshell

ralphjy — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 04:38:41 GMT

Now that we are getting the waterproof backshell/boot for the RJ45 cable, I've been looking for a threaded insert that could be used to attach the backshell to the enclosure. Because the enclosure wall is only 3.3mm thick, I thought that a PEM fastener that I've used before for PCBs might be appropriate. Because of the small shank length (1.5mm) and limited availability in small quantities, I decided to query Hammond Technical Support for their recommendations.

Here is their response:

It looks like it might work, but there will be about zero clearance to the RJ45 jack body (because the insert will penetrate 2.2mm).

I also realized that the PEM nut wouldn't work because it would need to be installed from the inside and its shoulder dimension would definitely interfere with the jack body.

Has anyone found a better alternative? I may try this one because Mouser has availabilty and sells in small quantities.

NFPC-440

The other possibility that I found is the E-Z LOK 240-004-CR. This has a smaller body, so it would have better clearance and is 1mm shorter. Not sure where to source these.

LattePanda v.1 environmental requirements (found)

JWx — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 14:42:14 GMT

Hello!

In case if somebody is also looking for official environmental requirements of LattePanda v.1 (which I wasn't able to find in the official documentation), here is answer from their support forum:

Recommended environment for LattePanda V1：

The working temperature is 0~60°C, and the working humidity is recommended between 30% and 80% RH.

Waterproofing the RJ45 Connection

ralphjy — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 22:47:13 GMT

I've been looking for a solution that would allow me to operate the RJ45 connection in a waterproof condition. I had posted a question on the Amphenol Product Forum with hope that an Amphenol rep might be monitoring it. shabaz was nice enough to give me a quick reply. I realized that I should have posted on this forum.

I think that I found the solution that that I was looking for, but I'd still like to verify that with a Product Specialist. I asked charlieo21 for his contact.

I found an Amphenol IP67 connector backshell (basically a rubber boot) that is IP67 rated - IP67 Boot for our Harsh Environment products.

The one specifically for the RJ45 is this one - MUSBRAHD2241SK Connector Backshell, Hood, Amphenol Standard USB and RJ Plug Connectors, 180°, Rubber Body.

I wonder if rscasny would be willing to supply these?

Enclosure IP rating confusion

JWx — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 12:18:57 GMT

Hello!

after briefly studying enclosure datasheet I have found something strange: it is described as IP68 (NEMA 4, 4X, 6, 6P, 12, 13), but PDF provided

www.farnell.com/.../2239464.pdf

states only: NEMA 4, 4X

in addition, family description from manufacturer's site:

https://www.hammfg.com/electronics/small-case/plastic/1554

states that this family is "NEMA Type 4, 4X, 6, 6P, 12 & 13", "Except 1554/55 V size which is 4,4X only"

as there are a few part numbers with V inside (VGY, VALGY, VAGY, VBGY) I wonder if our enclosure (1554VA2GYCL) can be considered IP68 or NEMA4X (so no submersion allowed)?

Can you make a splash with waterproof connectors?

cstanton — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 14:54:50 GMT

Connectors to me are perhaps the most easily overlooked part of a project.

Thinking about it though, they are obviously required. Whether you're toughing it out in a hostile environment, or designing a submersible!

What're your project ideas and what comes to mind for this design challenge?