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Seeking Feedback on Kit for Upcoming Experimenting with Extreme Environments

rscasny

At least once a year, I try to do some activity along the lines of protecting electronics. In 2023, I launched Experimenting with Waterproof Connectors. In late 2021, we launched the Just Encase Design Challenge. As more electronics are employed outdoors and more IOT solutions are installed in remote locations in the open environment, the need to protect electronics is increasing.

In the challenge I am now planning, I hope to take the idea of "electronics environmental protection" to the extremes.

In brief, the challengers will be given a kit to build something -- anything. They will house their electronic-builds in a durable, IP65-67 enclosure. After doing those the things, the real fun begins.

We would like the participants to experiment with extreme environments such as hot & cold temperatures, light & strong water sprays, vibrations, dust "storms," etc. You get the idea. They will need to design a testing environment to simulate the extreme condition being tested and then put their protected-build in it. And write about it.

Feedback on Proposed Kit

For the remainder of this discussion, I will overview selections for the kit. I have three options each for:

  • Electronics
  • Enclosure
  • Display
  • Sensor Connector

Please vote for your preference of each kit component. Now, if you have an alternate suggestion, feel free to post a comment.

I would like the electronic-builds to be battery-powered since a lot of remote monitoring is battery powered. Take a look at the viability of that. If that doesn't work, I may then give special extra credit to those participants that have a battery-powered experiment. At this point, I am in the planning stage. Not everything is cast in stone, so to speak.

Of course, there other parts such as cables, other types of connectors, power supplies, sensors, etc. that I have not included in this preliminary kit. Go ahead and post a comment on the accessories you would like.

Thanks for participating in this discussion.

Here are the polls:

ELECTRONICS under consideration

MICROCHIP EV36W50A WFI32-IOT Board, 32bit, PIC

image

Datasheet

Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 Lite and I/O Board

image

image

Datasheet

ARDUINO AKX00034 EDGE CONTROL BOARD

image

Datasheet

Display under consideration

ADAFRUIT 2260 TFT Display

image

Datasheet

MIDAS MC42005A6W-SPTLYI-V2 DISPLAY, ALPHANUMERIC, 20X4

image

Datasheet

MIKROE-55 Display, Character LCD 2x16

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Datasheet

ENCLOSURES under consideration

HAMMOND 1554VA2GYCL, Plastic Enclosure, IP68

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Datasheet

HAMMOND 1590Z231GY Metal Enclosure, Small, Diecast Aluminum, IP68

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Datasheet

HAMMOND 1555HF17GY Plastic Enclosure, Watertight, Industrial, IP67

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Datasheet

SENSOR CONNECTOR under consideration

AMPHENOL MRDBG02L13000, Circular Connector, 2 Contacts

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Datasheet


AMPHENOL MRDBG03L13000, Circular Connector, 3 Contacts

image

Datasheet

AMPHENOL MRD-BG04-L13-000, Circular Connector, 4 Contacts

image

Datasheet

  • another observation - after quick check, WFI32-IoT (nor probably Ardunio) doesn't seem to have external antenna connector, so radio cannot be used when placed in  metal case, leaving Raspberry that has "Either the onboard antenna or an external antenna kit [...]" according to the datasheet...

    Will need to check if base board provides some antenna connector

    As an alternative, 1554 with pressure compensation plug could also be interesting - like this (IP66)

     https://www.hammfg.com/part/BDN4XN1?referer=448

    or third party when better IP rating is to be obtained.

    This way, some comparison can be done if someone who participated with the previous challenge would be selected in this one.

  • I wonder if there would be a possibility for some time extension in this project? For example, my tests are quite time-consuming so some additional time could bring more decisive results...

  • I used the Pi4CM + I/O Board instead of the standard Pi4ModB because of inventory level and the fact that we have not used the PiCM for any programs yet. 

  • It looks like I'll need to add an antenna connector. I do want to include a display, something we have not done before in similar projects in the past. Next, I have to get with my product manager and look at the kit budget. Thanks for the suggestions.

  • Nice!

    A couple more possible ideas for projects if people are thinking about what could be done with them:

    A large metal enclosure and possibly the Pi 4 (either a normal Pi 4 or optionally Pi 4 CM + I/O board) could be attractive for DIY external LoRaWAN gateways with a plug-on LoRaWAN gateway HAT card, since they have come down in price a lot. A useful connector then could be (say) TNC. 

    If the display was optional, then it could also be interesting to try LED displays in metal enclosures (useful thing to explore, see how to expose displays or indicators in a weather-resistant manner with metal enclosures (perhaps a perspex plate epoxied - I know nothing about this, just throwing out the idea in case it sparks further discussion)! Maybe there exist circular or rectangular windows with rubber seals and screw fixing (but could be nice to DIY that with a thin rubber sheet and thick perspex). 

    Another interesting use case could be to install a low-cost SDR dongle (e.g. RTL-SDR) plus a Pi 4 (or CM4+I/O board) to have an externally installed radio receiver with antenna, to prevent signal loss in long coax from antenna to indoor SDR (in other words, extend using long CAT5 cable (and possibly even PoE) with digital data stream either before or after demodulation, instead of needing long coax carrying weak radio signals). For these types of applications maybe waterproofed LED indicators on a metal enclosure could be sufficient without LCD. There may be IP6x LEDs for this with round hole mounting, to be easy to drill.

  • I have never programmed a PIC, so i didn’t vote for that.  Always go for IP68 over IP67, and I prefer plastic over aluminum because of short circuits.

  • metal enclosure could be really interesting (especially after testing 1554VA2GYCL in Waterproof Connectors challenge), but external antenna connector will be needed if wireless communication is to be employed. As far as I see it today, my balcony during the spring is an extreme environment for a IP67 plastic case - btw. I have repeated my tests from the challenge and results seem very similar - I need to find time to post them somewhere...

  • Great minds think alike.

    I am already contemplating a project for the coming year to set up an outdoor sky camera with RGB and IR coverage.

    I may have to tie my project in with your challenge.

  • With a smaller display, low power sensors and enclosure, we can try DIY smart watches that operate on battery and test it in day-to-day activities. In my opinion, AIoT device that experience rain, vibration and impact much these days is a smart watch.

  • in reply to dougw

    ROFL - I'm referring to  normal commercial 115VAC LED lightbulbs.  Even the inside ones with LED string filaments arent really that reliable, and the ones that get used outside are iffy in the cold. 

    The LED fixtures for outdoor seem OK, except for the motion sensors.   

    Interesting the outside fixtures with sensors are still nameplated for incandescent bulbs.