Outdoor casing with cable connections

Hi

I'm making a bee hive monitor, and I need your help to find very good waterproof cable connections.

This remote monitor/sender will be powered by solar + Li-Ion.
There will also be 3 cable connections, weigh and temp/humidity + Solar charger

Weight sensor is 4 cables in one
DHT20 sensor 4 cables in one.
Solar charger, I don't know, maybe 3-4 cables.

So all PCB+ battery+sender module inside a project box, then ip67 connectors from box to sensors.

Something like this (Garmin):
image

Thanks up front.

Have a search for "SP13 waterproof connector". From what I can see, they come in pin configurations from 1-pin (!) to 9-pin (no 8-pin?) all in the same size body.


I got a bunch of 7-pin ones (plug & socket pairs) from AliExpress for just over 1GBP each.

1 Like

Hi, thanks for help.

Any tip for an outdoor 5 core cable? (not ethernet)

That picture looks like Armoured Cable, or SWA (Steel Wired Armour). It's usually for outdoor power cables that tend to have a lot bigger cross section like 6mm^2 or 10mm^2.

What do you want to use it for? Voltages?
Will it be buried or on the surface?

Hi

I will use the cable to connect to a DHT22 temp humidity sensor. So a small flexible cable is needed, and for outdoor use.

I suppose any old 3-core cable would do for a hobby scenario. Some of the smaller diameter 3-core mains cable may be suitable. I'm in the UK, so something like this from ScrewFix may be ok:

Says it's suitable for Pond Pumps & Other Outdoor Cabling. If you are powering the DHT22 at 5V, then you are limited to around 30m (according to a quick web search).

Hopefully others will offer their advice on suitable cable if ordinary cheap cable is a poor choice.

1 Like

Hi @Modesty

Bulgin make some very nice, robust, (but expensive) IP68 connectors in their Buccaneer series. The parts from the range can be mixed and mached for greater flexibility, such plug/socket, inline/panel mounted, number of ways and cable gland sizes, etc... The standard series uses screw terminals for cable termination.

I often see standard and mini 4000 series Buccaneer connectors used on outdoor meteorological equipment.

Regarding cables, it's probably worth checking their UV resistance, although standard black/grey PVC is usually pretty good in this regard.

1 Like

If you put a drip loop in your cables and bring them up underneath the hive or other box where drips, runs, and wind-driven rain can't reach, a waterproof connector is not necessary. I have a bird house with plain Ethernet connector underneath that's been working fine for 10 years or so.

1 Like

This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.