Choosing an Enclosure

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. As a rule, target IP65 as the practical minimum for a sheltered outdoor enclosure, and IP66/67 for direct weather exposure.

IP Rating Guide

Rating	Protection	Suitable For
IP54	Dust-protected (limited ingress), splash-resistant	Under eaves, protected outdoor locations
IP65	Dust-tight, low-pressure water jets	Standard outdoor exposed deployment (practical minimum)
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 (price as of 2026-06-08, varies)

Typically 150 × 100 × 70mm. Hinged lid with a foam gasket; many listings include two cable glands pre-installed (confirm against the specific listing, as price, size, and included glands vary). Good balance of cost, size, and weatherproofing for a single-node solar repeater. A box this size will accommodate a Heltec V3/V4, a charge controller module, and an 18650 battery holder - confirm internal usable depth leaves clearance once mounted.

Generic IP65 - IP68 Junction Boxes - ~$10 - $15 (approximate, volatile)

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 - ~$45 - $60 for a genuine case (price as of 2026-06-08)

Durable, crushproof, watertight. Note that a genuine Pelican 1300 typically runs around $45-60 - figures well below $20 usually indicate a clone or used unit, so budget accordingly and check current pricing. 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. In plain terms: a metal box blocks radio signals, so the antenna MUST be outside the can on a bulkhead/feed-through connector - the steel construction provides RF shielding and good weather sealing, but it will detune or block a radio mounted inside it. Mount the board on stand-offs so it cannot short against the metal walls. Be aware that drilling and sealing a watertight antenna feed-through in steel is more work than in a plastic box. Replace the original gasket with EPDM for cold-climate use (EPDM stays flexible to roughly -40°C and resists ozone/weathering).

PVC Pipe Cap Enclosure - ~$3 - $5 (hardware-store pricing)

A 3 - 4 inch PVC end cap can house a minimal node (Heltec V3 + small LiPo + charge controller) and can be made water-resistant - not certified weatherproof, and with no IP rating - when the seams are sealed with PVC cement and silicone. This is an unrated, ad-hoc DIY solution. Caution: do not permanently glue or cement a lithium-cell node into a non-openable enclosure. You must be able to inspect and replace a swollen cell, and a sealed, cemented box gives a venting cell nowhere to relieve pressure - a fire-containment concern. For any lithium-powered build, prefer a gasketed, openable enclosure.

Muzi Works 3D-Printed Cases (PLA-CF)

Custom-designed for the Heltec V3 and available from Muzi Works directly. These are 3D-printed cases (carbon-fiber PLA per the product listing), not injection-molded. More form-fitting than generic boxes and easier to assemble, but more expensive. A good option if you want a clean-looking install without custom fabrication. Note that PLA-based filament UV-embrittles outdoors over time; treat it as a sheltered/semi-permanent solution rather than a long-term direct-weather enclosure.

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 - ASA is the strongest UV/outdoor performer (Tg ~100°C), PETG is good (~80°C), and PLA degrades in UV and heat (Tg ~60°C, embrittles outdoors) so avoid PLA for direct-weather parts. Seal seams and lid interfaces with neutral-cure (non-acetic) silicone RTV - not acetic-cure aquarium-type sealant, whose acetic vapor corrodes copper. Add UV-resistant coating or paint to PETG prints for long-term outdoor durability.

Size Selection

Measure your components before ordering an enclosure. As a rough guideline, 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. These figures are configuration-dependent - verify against your actual parts.

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
• Permanently sealing a lithium cell into a non-openable enclosure - keep lithium builds serviceable
• Non-UV-stabilized clear plastics in direct sun - clear lids are genuinely useful for status/OLED visibility on hard-to-reach nodes, so use them where that helps; just choose a UV-stabilized clear material and avoid clear lids where direct-sun thermal gain inside the box would overheat the electronics