If you want to seal it, throw in a handful of Silica Gel packets first. They come packed in everything these days so should you should be able scrounge them for free. That should help prevent condensation.
David K0LUM At 5:51 PM -0500 1/27/12, Don Wilhelm wrote: >Ron, > >There are 2 philosophies on those containers - one is to totally seal >them as you have suggested, and the other is to put a drain hole at the >bottom to drain condensation out. > >For a totally sealed container, it all depends on the moisture content >of the air when it was sealed, and the current ambient temperature. > >Here in the North Carolina Summer, we can have humidity levels of 98% >along with temperatures of 100+ degF. If an enclosure is sealed under >those conditions, and then the ambient temperature drops, there will be >a lot of moisture condensing in that box. Simple laws of physics >prevail, while hot air can contain that amount of moisture, when the >temperature drops, it will "rain in the enclosure". > >I don't have an absolute answer to the seal or leave a drain hole >question, but if it is sealed, be certain to seal it in times of lowest >humidity and the lowest temperature to keep the amount of moisture >inside the container to a minimum. > >73, >Don W3FPR > >On 1/27/2012 5:26 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: >> Keeping something outdoors dry isn't a big issue. An plastic food container >> will keep it dry. Just be sure to arrange the exit points for the cables so >> they are pointing downward to prevent rain from running down a wire into the >> enclosure. >> >> I've not remoted a W2 sensor, but have used that technique on many matching >> networks. >> >> But that leaves two other issues: >> >> 1) If the unit is not totally sealed you'll get tiny bugs inside it - >> including the famous pin-head size spiders that are so adept at shorting out >> antenna traps. Unless you'll be checking and cleaning it regularly, I'd >> carefully caulk the openings for the cables so the box is absolutely sealed >> and use a container with a good seal on the lid. One of the types of >> water-tight containers that has a rubber o-ring seal around the lid is best. >> They are available in the USA for under $5 in the size you'd need. (If you >> buy a "Snap-Loc" brand container, it's made here in the USA too :-) >> >> 2) Has anyone tried really long runs of the sensor cable to see how the >> system behaves, especially in a strong RF field? I don't know of a spec for >> the maximum cable run for the sensor wire. >> >> 73, >> >> Ron AC7AC >> >______________________________________________________________ >Elecraft mailing list >Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm >Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > >This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net >Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
