Enclosures

Choosing an Enclosure
Weatherproofing Tips

Choosing an Enclosure

The enclosure protects your electronics from weather, UV, and physical damage. Choose based on IP rating requirements, available mounting options, and your willingness to do custom drilling and fitting.

IP Rating Guide

Rating	Protection	Suitable For
IP54	Dust partial, splash-resistant	Under eaves, protected outdoor locations
IP65	Dust-tight, water jets	Standard outdoor exposed deployment
IP67	Dust-tight, immersion 1m/30min	Ground-level, flood-risk, or harsh weather sites
IP68	Dust-tight, continuous immersion	Underwater or buried applications

Common Enclosure Options

Zulkit IP65 Junction Box - $12

150 × 100 × 70mm. Hinged lid with a foam gasket. Comes with two cable glands pre-installed. Good balance of cost, size, and weatherproofing for a single-node solar repeater. The size accommodates a Heltec V3/V4, a charge controller module, and an 18650 battery holder.

Generic IP65 - IP68 Junction Boxes - $10 - $15

Available in many sizes from AliExpress and Amazon. Quality varies; check reviews for gasket quality. At this price point, IP65 is reliable; IP68 ratings on cheap boxes should be treated skeptically.

Pelican 1300 - $15 - $20

Durable, crushproof, watertight. Overkill for most deployments but excellent for portability or high-risk mounting locations. Foam insert must be cut to fit your components.

Ammo Can

Military surplus ammo cans are cheap, widely available, and extremely durable. The steel construction provides RF shielding (keep the antenna outside), and the gasket provides good weather sealing. Replace the original gasket with EPDM for cold-climate use. Conductive enclosures can affect radios - mount the node with stand-offs to keep it away from the metal walls.

PVC Pipe Cap Enclosure - $3 - $5

A 3 - 4 inch PVC end cap can house a minimal node (Heltec V3 + small LiPo + charge controller) and is surprisingly weatherproof when the seams are sealed with PVC cement and silicone. Best for compact builds where size matters more than serviceability.

Muzi Works Injection-Molded Cases

Custom-designed for the Heltec V3. Available from Muzi Works directly. More form-fitting than generic boxes and easier to assemble, but more expensive. Good option if you want a professional-looking install without custom fabrication.

3D Printed Enclosures

Community-designed enclosures are available on Printables, Thingiverse, Thangs, and Cults3D. Search for your specific device model. Print in PETG or ASA for outdoor use - PLA degrades in UV and heat. Seal seams and lid interfaces with food-grade silicone. Add UV-resistant coating or paint to PETG prints for long-term outdoor durability.

Size Selection

Measure your components before ordering an enclosure. A typical single-node solar repeater (Heltec V3 or V4 + 18650 + CN3791) fits comfortably in a 150 × 100 × 70mm box. For a RAK WisBlock with larger battery packs, consider 200 × 120 × 75mm or larger.

What to Avoid

Generic "waterproof" boxes without an IP rating - these often fail in sustained rain
Enclosures with screw-on lids that require tools to open - maintenance becomes annoying quickly
Clear/translucent enclosures - UV degrades clear plastics quickly and solar heating inside a clear box can overheat electronics

Weatherproofing Tips

Even a good IP65-rated enclosure can leak if improperly assembled. These tips cover the details that matter in practice.

Cable Gland Selection and Installation

Cable glands are the most common failure point. The gland must match the cable diameter - a PG7 gland seals cables 3 - 6.5mm in diameter; a PG9 gland seals 4 - 8mm. Using a gland that is too large for the cable leaves a gap that water will find.

Choose the correct gland size for each cable.
Thread the gland body into the hole from the outside. Apply thread sealant (PTFE tape or liquid thread locker) to the threads.
Tighten to firm hand-tight + a quarter turn. Over-tightening cracks plastic enclosures.
Route the cable and tighten the gland compression nut until the rubber seal grips the cable firmly. You should not be able to pull the cable through the gland by hand.
Apply a small bead of silicone sealant around the outside of the gland where it meets the enclosure wall.

Drip Loops

Water can wick along cables by capillary action and enter glands even when properly tightened. A drip loop prevents this: route the cable so it makes a downward U-shape before rising back up to the gland. Gravity pulls water off the bottom of the loop rather than letting it travel into the enclosure.

Lid Gaskets

Inspect the lid gasket every time you open the enclosure. Gaskets compress and deform over time, especially with temperature cycling. Signs of gasket failure: visible cracks, flat spots, or moisture inside a previously dry enclosure. Replace gaskets with EPDM foam tape (available at hardware stores) cut to size.

Desiccant

Even a perfectly sealed enclosure will have moisture inside from assembly in humid air. Desiccant absorbs this residual moisture and any that enters during maintenance. Use silica gel packs or indicating silica gel (blue when dry, pink when saturated). Replace annually or when the indicating colour changes.

Rechargeable desiccant canisters (Eva-Dry E-333 or similar) can be refreshed in a 65°C oven for 8 - 10 hours, eliminating ongoing desiccant costs.

UV Protection

Most plastics degrade in UV light. Standard ABS and polycarbonate enclosures rated for outdoor use include UV stabilisers. Generic cheap enclosures often do not. A coat of UV-resistant paint or clear coat extends the life of any outdoor plastic enclosure significantly.

Antenna Feedline Entry

The antenna coax is the most challenging cable to seal because the connector end is large. Options:

PG9 cable gland: Fits most small coax (RG174, RG316). The connector must be attached after routing the cable through the gland, or the gland must be large enough to pass the assembled connector.
N-connector bulkhead: Mount an N-Female bulkhead connector in the enclosure wall. Run coax from the antenna to the bulkhead outside, and a short pigtail from the bulkhead to the node inside. The bulkhead connector provides a weatherproof sealed interface. This is the cleanest approach for permanent installations.
SMA bulkhead: Same concept for SMA connector systems. Available from most RF parts suppliers for under $5.

Condensation Prevention

Rapid temperature changes cause moisture to condense on cold surfaces inside the enclosure. Techniques to reduce condensation:

Mount the enclosure in a shaded location or paint it white/light grey to reduce solar heating and temperature swings
Use a breathable IP-rated vent plug (available from Roxtec and others) - these allow pressure equalisation without moisture ingress, eliminating the pressure differential that drives condensation
Maintain desiccant in good condition

Annual Maintenance Checklist

Inspect and replace desiccant
Check lid gasket for cracking or deformation
Inspect cable glands for cracking and retighten if loose
Check all wire connections for corrosion
Inspect antenna connector and coax for water intrusion or green corrosion
Verify solar panel surface is clean (dirt reduces output)
Check mounting hardware for rust or loosening