Hi,
I have my Watson sensors mounted very close to the sea (2m at high springs) and have found that the PCB inside the transmitter has corroded and failed after five years.
I have always kept the plugs covered in silicone grease or vaseline to protect them, which has worked fine, but was thinking I might smear silicone grease over the whole PCB when I replace it. There shouldn't be a problem with short circuits but I was worried it would insulate the temperature or humidity sensors.
I don't think a better screen would help as the whole unit gets a fine spray in a NW gale.
Has anyone tried this before? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
John
Welcome to the Cumulus Support forum.
Latest Cumulus MX V3 release 3.28.6 (build 3283) - 21 March 2024
Cumulus MX V4 beta test release 4.0.0 (build 4019) - 03 April 2024
Legacy Cumulus 1 release 1.9.4 (build 1099) - 28 November 2014
(a patch is available for 1.9.4 build 1099 that extends the date range of drop-down menus to 2030)
Download the Software (Cumulus MX / Cumulus 1 and other related items) from the Wiki
Latest Cumulus MX V3 release 3.28.6 (build 3283) - 21 March 2024
Cumulus MX V4 beta test release 4.0.0 (build 4019) - 03 April 2024
Legacy Cumulus 1 release 1.9.4 (build 1099) - 28 November 2014
(a patch is available for 1.9.4 build 1099 that extends the date range of drop-down menus to 2030)
Download the Software (Cumulus MX / Cumulus 1 and other related items) from the Wiki
Silicone Grease? corroded PCB
-
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue 02 Oct 2012 11:01 am
- Weather Station: Watson W- 8681
- Operating System: windows xp sp3
- Location: Isle of Mull
-
- Posts: 1885
- Joined: Sat 21 Feb 2009 12:41 pm
- Weather Station: Nothing working ATM - making one
- Operating System: OS X, Linux Mint, Win7 & XP
- Location: Devon UK
Re: Silicone Grease? corroded PCB
Difficult one You certainly don't want to cover the humidity sensor. I don't think the thermometer should matter though it would be slower to respond to changes in temperature. The rest of the board could certainly be covered in grease for protection. Are you sure it isn't possible to improve your screening? How about a large shield on the seaward side? Sea spray is deadly to electronicsIsle of Mull wrote:Hi,
I have my Watson sensors mounted very close to the sea (2m at high springs) and have found that the PCB inside the transmitter has corroded and failed after five years.
I have always kept the plugs covered in silicone grease or vaseline to protect them, which has worked fine, but was thinking I might smear silicone grease over the whole PCB when I replace it. There shouldn't be a problem with short circuits but I was worried it would insulate the temperature or humidity sensors.
I don't think a better screen would help as the whole unit gets a fine spray in a NW gale.
Has anyone tried this before? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
John
Gina
Sorry, no banner - weather station out of action. Hoping to be up and running with a new home-made one soon.
Sorry, no banner - weather station out of action. Hoping to be up and running with a new home-made one soon.
-
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue 02 Oct 2012 11:01 am
- Weather Station: Watson W- 8681
- Operating System: windows xp sp3
- Location: Isle of Mull
Re: Silicone Grease? corroded PCB
Thanks Gina,
I suppose I could make some sort of screen that would stop the worst of the spray.
The old board is not completely corroded, it's just a few tracks that have gone.
I think the silicone grease should stop that.
I suppose I could make some sort of screen that would stop the worst of the spray.
The old board is not completely corroded, it's just a few tracks that have gone.
I think the silicone grease should stop that.
-
- Posts: 363
- Joined: Thu 04 Feb 2010 12:22 pm
- Weather Station: 1wire-Cumulus & Fine Offset
- Operating System: Windows 7
- Location: Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
Re: Silicone Grease? corroded PCB
The board actually has a conformal coating from the factory, but it's not great and is often damaged by handling during final assembly. There are a number of areas on the board that will be impacted by a dielectric grease, the worst as Gina points out will be the humidity sensor.
Some components may also change value if covered with grease, as it's not completely inert. Whether or not it will be enough to affect performance remains to be seen, I guess.
You can cautiously paint it with the grease avoiding components, but honestly it's a lot of work for questionable benefit. Perhaps investing some time in building or buying a good Stevenson screen would be a better investment?
Some components may also change value if covered with grease, as it's not completely inert. Whether or not it will be enough to affect performance remains to be seen, I guess.
You can cautiously paint it with the grease avoiding components, but honestly it's a lot of work for questionable benefit. Perhaps investing some time in building or buying a good Stevenson screen would be a better investment?
-
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Tue 02 Oct 2012 11:01 am
- Weather Station: Watson W- 8681
- Operating System: windows xp sp3
- Location: Isle of Mull
Re: Silicone Grease? corroded PCB
Hi Charlie,
Thanks for the info.
I think I may move it a little further from the sea. It will not be in as good a place for wind measurement but will give more accurate winter temperatures as the sea tends to keep the temperature up a bit when below freezing. The last one lasted a good few years so hopefully a move will solve it. I don't think any screen would completely solve the problem unless it was solid on the sea side as the spray comes in from below horizontal sometimes. I suppose a solid screen could cause measurement problems.
Thanks
Thanks for the info.
I think I may move it a little further from the sea. It will not be in as good a place for wind measurement but will give more accurate winter temperatures as the sea tends to keep the temperature up a bit when below freezing. The last one lasted a good few years so hopefully a move will solve it. I don't think any screen would completely solve the problem unless it was solid on the sea side as the spray comes in from below horizontal sometimes. I suppose a solid screen could cause measurement problems.
Thanks