Outside dome condensation problem ?

[Tinman55 0]

Hi, I was wondering, when you install a heated dome enclosure on your house....is the dome suppose to be completely sealed airtight from the inside of house ? On my install.....the power & lan cables pass from the dome through the mounting arm and then on through the wall into the house. So actually there can be some transfer of air between. This paticular dome has a heater & fan....and had no problem with any condensation through the winter.....but here lately I am experiencing just a light fog on one side of the dome (inside) just during the last hour of the day....when the sun really hits the dome. We are tallking temps around 70 degrees at this time and cool to the 40's at night. After a few hours of dusk....the fog disappears. I am wondering if I am getting some humidity from inside house through the wiring holes that may be the culprit ?? The outdoor humidity has been high here lately due to cool rainy weather.

 

I have a temperature sensor bulb in the dome and have been observing.....when the sun heats the dome....the inside temp lately has been higher than outside temp. The heater in this dome only runs when temp is 50 degrees or lower....so I really just have the fans running continuious. Our relative humidity levels have been on the high side this spring due to chilly rainy weather. I am not sure if there is a solution....which is why my question on if the dome is to be sealed completey from my indoor enviroment.

[Tailbone215 0]

If this unit doesn't have a weather tight grommet you can go to Home Depot or one of your favorite electrical distributors and get a pack of duct seal. It is a non-hardening putty/clay that is very sticky and waterproof. Make sure everything is dry before closing the housing. Also, add a pack of silica gel. Just to add, it sounds like you have moisture already trapped.

[Tinman55 0]

Thanks for the suggestion....so then you want to have the dome sealed where the cables enter through the siding into my house then ? There is a rubber gasket where the arm meets the house and that is tight....but I don't have the cables sealed ( which all pass through some flex tubing)....I will seal the tube end and use some silica gel as you suggested.