DIY IP-66 Survived Sandy: Bragging Rights?

[PeteCress 0]

I'm posting this mainly for bragging rights... but also because it shows that one does not necessarily need a more-expensive IP-66 weather-resistant camera for outdoor use.

 

Here is an EdiMax IC3030-POE that cost about eighty bucks, spent the better part of a year mounted atop a gazebo next to a salt water bay, and which survived Sandy: http://tinyurl.com/a49j2bk. It also has the ability to focus the lens just by rotating an external ring around the lens - no disassembly needed'

 

Here it is in better days: http://tinyurl.com/9dgm6ng

And the gazebo/cupola after Sandy: http://tinyurl.com/a5fhqem

 

The last thing it saw before Sandy had her way with the ethernet infrastructure: http://tinyurl.com/ambszd5

 

I've got another one that's been outside my house for several months through several heavy rains that's doctored up the same way (electrical tape over the seams/ports) but without the skylight filter tub-caulked over the lens, without the plastic bag, but with the addition of mastic around the ethernet connection: http://tinyurl.com/akg5uga

 

My only reservation so far is the electrical tape: it seems to get brittle over time and, even though it was laying flat on a curved surface, the adhesive seems to degrade over time and it wants to peel up. There must be something better, but what?

[Peter_ 2]

My only reservation so far is the electrical tape: it seems to get brittle over time and, even though it was laying flat on a curved surface, the adhesive seems to degrade over time and it wants to peel up. There must be something better, but what?

 

Maybe something made for automotive/industrial use?

[MaxIcon 0]

If you google marine electrical tape or all weather electrical tape, you'll see many options. If there are reviews at Amazon, that would be a good place to start.

[dexterash 0]

It also has the ability to focus the lens just by rotating an external ring around the lens - no disassembly needed'

 

Outside focus can also be used as outside "defocus", that's why some of the cameras have it inside, usually with some uncommon tools to do it.

[bigglebowski 0]

 

My only reservation so far is the electrical tape: it seems to get brittle over time and, even though it was laying flat on a curved surface, the adhesive seems to degrade over time and it wants to peel up. There must be something better, but what?

 

Look into mocap tape, which like windex or romex its a brand name so others make it too, just not sure what another trade name is.

 

The mocap stuff is so good you could actually do a plumbing leak repair and will contain the water.

[voip-ninja 0]

Rescue Tape is sold under a few different names. It's a silicone tape that will only bond to itself. It's very commonly used in marine/outdoor applications and is even recommended by a few camera manufacturers for water-proofing cable entrances on their cameras. It will not get brittle even if it sits out in the sun all day for years.

[shockwave199 0]

Congrats on the camera making it through Sandy. All mine made it too. Even last night- yet another near hurricane with exceptionally strong winds. We don't have rain storms anymore. We have near hurricanes every time the clouds gather. Totally sucks. The cameras take a lickin, but it sure would be nice if the weather were easier on them.