Waterproofing?

'Vette Nerd · #1 06-25-2006, 05:50 PM

I have read somewhere on ripper7racing.com that you could actually waterproof a 1st genZZ by just coating the PCB,battery and its terminals with silicon sealant. Although I have some doubts if it actually waterproofs everything,

and I don't wanna kill my only 1st gen zz just to find out. What else should be coated? (Like say the steering wires or motor.)

truckian · #2 06-25-2006, 06:20 PM

If you want to waterproof it, you have to make sure that nothing carrying a current is exposed. Therefore, you have to seal the motor case, the steering, the pcb, the batteries, the charging contacts, etc.

So you can waterproof it, but it won't be able to move.

'Vette Nerd · #3 06-25-2006, 07:24 PM

Thanks Truck', always thought there had to be something wrong with that idea, just didn't know what. Too bad I can't find the link to show ya.

Azimov · #4 07-08-2006, 02:15 AM

You could probably dip everything but the motors in wax. This is an old electronics trick to waterproof radios. Motors are another thing though. You might be able to come up with a container for the motors with a small grease filled chamber that the armature passes through. This is the way submarines waterproof the propellor shaft. This is called a "stuffing Box". Difficult at this scale, but if you can pull it off, you could drive your Zip across the bottom of a pool.
Come to think of it, if you remove the two drive motors from a micro sub, you could replace the prop with a pinion gear and custom install them in place of the drive and steering motor in an SE or one of the Pixar Zips. Wax dip everything else several times and Bob's yur uncle, you got an amphibious Zip.

ibjamn · #5 07-10-2006, 10:08 PM

How would you be able to recharge ? I would think that the tabs would still be exposed, therefore creating a short and discharge the battery prematurally...... j/w.

Azimov · #6 07-11-2006, 03:09 AM

That would have to be tested, but it could be a problem. Not that it would discharge the battery, but it may cause a short. But I'm not sure. A rubber cover to seal them would work. A lot of testing and customization would need to be done to make it work right.
I've seen RC subs that just left the motors exposed to the water and they worked fine. The voltages in these things is very small and complete water proofing may not be needed, Though I would anyways.
The stock charging tabs could be replaced with a jack that's plugged when not in use. Probably better anyways since you don't wanna flop a wet truck on the charger or have to dry thoroughly every time either. I'm sure it could be done, but it would require some work.
The main problem is corrosion. When I was building Aquabots (small, solar powered aquatic robots) I found that no matter how you waterproof a container to hold your electronics and motors, the air pocket created rises and falls in humidity as the external temperatures change. This places a light mist on the electronics that corrodes them over time. I've tried pulling a vacuum, dessicant, and all sorts of voodoo to stop this. The best solutions seem to be encasing in epoxy or wax. Or, filling all voids with thin mineral oil so no air remains.
Like I said, it would take some serious customizing and testing to pull it off, but it is doable.