Weatherproofing Moteino's

[WhiteHare]

As I understand it, CorrsionX is an oil of some type and isn't a "once and done" sort of thing.  It works for RC people because they're hands on and it's easy for them to keep re-applying it.

[WhiteHare]

Conformal coating might be the answer, but I wonder how the radio modules themselves behave when coated. Does it make the module non-compliant for FCC and CE marking?

I'm starting to get cold feet on that as well.  I'm preparing some nodes for monitoring our refrigerator and freezer, and I do have that as a lingering doubt about encapsulating them.  Plus the lithium battery "venting" safety issue.   I guess maybe some kind of ip66 or whatever  waterproof enclosure is more of a sure bet.  Maybe include a humidity sensor inside?  I don't know how well or even if it could detect moisture penetration at freezing temperatures, but....

[TomWS]

Plus the lithium battery "venting" safety issue.

Lithium batteries need to vent when you've so overloaded them that they're about to explode.  Your 10uA average current should not be an issue... unless, of course, you happen to exceed that in some, uh, 'accidental' programming error.

Tom

[WhiteHare]

The hot glue method didn't end up preventing corrosion.

It occurs to me now that polyurethane spray foam would probably work 100% and, further, the per use material cost would be a lot cheaper than epoxy.  If you clean out the nozel with acetone after each use, you don't have to use the entire can all at once.  I've done that before, and I've found that the leftover stores quite well.

Of course, it also means your node will be quite well insulated, so you may need to account for that, or possibly monitor the radios temperature so that you don't overheat it.