Can I box Arduino in wood box for outdoor use?

Projects General Guidance
21

it should warm up less than plastic, if I'm right?

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Thanks everyone for replies in this one. I placed wood box in a greenhouse and added conformal coating, it works now. However, now I also need to upgrade the system. I have another part of garden (strawberries) at the other side of the house.

Garage is somehow in between these 2 gardens, so I thought about putting the Arduino in garage and passing longer wires (about 5-6 meters) to both ends. What do you think about this? Is it to long for wire? How would you protect the wires from rain and water? Btw, I'm using 1 mm solid wires protected with insulation. I've seen some kind of hoses that wrap around the wire... Is it good enough?

Thanks in advance,

Amer

23

Hi,

I built an automated watering system with Arduino, using small water pumps, relay and Arduino uno. It is inside wooden box in a greenhouse and added conformal coating, it works now. However, now I need to upgrade the system. I have another part of garden (strawberries) at the other side of the house.

Garage is somehow in between these 2 gardens, so I thought about putting the Arduino in garage and passing longer wires (about 5-6 meters) to both ends. What do you think about this? Is it to long for wire? How would you protect the wires from rain and water? Btw, I'm using 1 mm solid wires protected with insulation. I've seen some kind of hoses that wrap around the wire... Is it good enough? Also, when I solder this long wire ti wire coming from water pump, would it be good enough to isolate this joint with this

https://www.google.com/search?q=termo+buzir&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjBw9XpgrrxAhVRuXEKHUVVAEYQ_AUoAXoECAEQBA&biw=2068&bih=920#imgrc=CJ9yArkJzzwNqM

Thanks in advance,

Amer

24

Rain and water are one thing, but you also need to consider induction spikes from nearby lightning. Without proper protection that will fry your equipment sooner or later.

1 Like
25

It's not just rain you have to protect from, it is sunlight. The ultraviolet in sunlight degrades the plastic insulation and makes it fall apart.

Some kinds of cable insulation are designed for external use and are both water and UV resistant, for example external cat 5 and external telephone cables. These are typically black and the outer sheath is much thicker than normal cable.

Heat shrink sleeving will provide some protection for a soldered joint but is not enough in itself, the joints need to be inside a suitable weather proof box. The electrical installation industry has a range of products for this kind of thing, such as conduit and water proof boxed meant to be used outside, for example:

Those are just a sample, go to an electrical wholesaler and ask what they have.

Note that cables should enter boxes from the bottom so rain can't run in thorough the entry holes.

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@aldm

Stop creating new topics on the same subject or you run the risk of being suspended for a period

I have merged your recent new topic into this one

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understood, thanks

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So I should put waterproof cables in this cable?

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Sorry, I don't understand the question. You can't put cable in cable.

Do you mean put cable in conduit? Yes, that's the idea. Provided the cable is entirely enclosed in suitable external conduit and boxes then the cable itself does not have to be waterproof.

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Wrong words I used :). Yes, I meant to put cable in boxes (you sent above). That was also one of my initial ideas. I could protect begin and end of the box (top and bottom) with silicon and all should be fine I think.

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get ip44 box from your local electrical supplier

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