One of the most important things to consider when choosing the appropriate electronics enclosure for your project is where the device will be housed. If you’re designing something that must be installed outdoors, you need an enclosure that will be tough enough to withstand the elements, including harsh ultraviolet rays from the sun as well as rain, snow, sleet and other precipitation.Choosing the appropriate enclosure can help ensure sensitive electronic components within your device are well-protected so they remain functional and in great shape. Below, we’ll discuss the basics of how to waterproof electronics using weatherproof junction boxes.
plastic junction box
Why is it so important to choose the right junction box to safeguard these components from the hot sun, cold winds and precipitation?
  • UV rays and high temperatures can cause device components to overheat, melt or otherwise deform.
  • Water and condensation inside the enclosure can cause device malfunctions and damage electrical connections.
  • Low temperatures can impede the operation of or cause harm to some devices.
  • Windblown dust and debris can penetrate devices and cause damage.
For all of these reasons, it’s important to focus on material when choosing your electronic enclosures, especially when they need to be able to handle long periods of exposure outdoors. Next, we’ll discuss some weatherproof enclosure materials that form an important part of how to protect outdoor electronics.

How to Protect Outdoor Electronics by Choosing the Right Enclosure Material

At Polycase, we offer a variety of enclosure materials tough enough for year-round placement outdoors, even in extreme temperatures. Let’s take a quick look at some popular materials.Polycarbonate electronic enclosures are among the most widely used outdoor enclosure solutions. Polycarbonate is an amorphous thermoplastic that’s naturally UV stable, so it’s a great choice for outdoor use. This material is so good at holding up to various weather conditions and extreme sun that it’s actually used as a lightweight, weather-tough alternative to traditional roofing materials. Not only is polycarbonate great for blocking UV rays, which means a safer protective layer for your electrical components, but it’s also very lightweight and extremely durable. Like all our plastic electronic enclosures, these polycarbonate styles can be customized to your needs to suit an incredible range of products, whether you’re designing a whole-new gadget or want to improve on an existing design.Utilize a Junction Box to Protect Your Electronics While Outdoorsoutdoor junction boxMetal enclosures made from materials like stainless steel and aluminum are also an excellent choice for outdoor junction boxes. These materials offer a sharp look and rugged construction as well. Unlike polycarbonate, they offer a degree of natural EMI shielding to protect your devices from electromagnetic interference.

Choosing the Right NEMA or IP Rating

It’s also important to choose an outdoor rated NEMA enclosure or IP rated enclosure to protect your device. These rating systems provide a quick and clear way to understand how much protection an enclosure offers against environmental hazards like water and dust. NEMA standards are used mainly in North America. Outdoor enclosures should have an outdoor NEMA rating like NEMA 4X or NEMA 6P. For more information about what these ratings mean, see our NEMA ratings guide.IP (Ingress Protection) standards are used worldwide, but especially in the European Union. An outdoor enclosure should feature a waterproof and dustproof IP rating, such as an IP66 or IP68. Our IP ratings guide offers more information on the IP ratings system.Polycase offers hundreds of enclosure models with IP and NEMA ratings. We also UL certify all of our NEMA and IP enclosures, so you can be confident our enclosures will perform to their expected specifications.

Venting Accessories to Prevent Condensation

Another simple thing you can do to protect outdoor devices from heat and moisture is to choose from our selection of venting accessories. As previously mentioned, condensation caused by heat and humidity can seriously compromise the parts inside your unit, so you want to do everything you can to prevent it from building up. Not only does moisture compromise the quality and performance of your electronics, but it can also lead to mold and deterioration over time.The best way to prevent condensation in any environment is to improve airflow through enclosure vents, especially within electronic housings. There are venting solutions that keep units watertight while allowing airflow so condensation doesn’t accumulate. Adding air vents to equalize temperature and pressure effectively creates a more safe and protected environment. Moreover, Polycase can machine the required air vent holes into the enclosure for you!Finally, remember that cutout areas on the body of an enclosure, such as vents and connector pass-throughs, may allow unwanted moisture or dust into your enclosure if they’re not properly sealed. That’s why it’s critically important to use accessories like our cable glands and vent seals with the right NEMA and/or IP rating to maintain your enclosure’s protection.Purchase an Outdoor Enclosure Today

Conformal Coating and Potting: More Options for Waterproof Electronics

Conformal coating is another technique for creating water resistance in electronic devices. Basically, it involves applying a protective film made from waterproof materials such as acrylic, urethane, parylene or silicone to a printed circuit board or other sensitive electronic components. When this film dries and hardens, it forms a microscopically thin layer that keeps out moisture, corrosion and other hazards that might harm the components.Note that this is different from applying a potting compound, although the basic principle is similar. A potting compound (typically made from epoxy resin or silicone) is a liquid that’s poured into an enclosure, encapsulating its components, and then allowed to cure. In addition to serving as a waterproof coating, this helps protect the components from vibration and impacts.You’ll typically see conformal coating and potting used to supplement the protection offered by electrical enclosures. It’s another layer of defense for sensitive electronics like PCBs to keep them safe from environmental hazards.The various conformal coating and potting compounds offer significantly different properties, so it’s important to choose the right one. Acrylic coatings, for example, are easy to remove and rework, but offer less protection against chemicals and corrosion than silicone conformal coatings. polycase outdoor junction box

Get in Touch

When you’re looking for environment-specific solutions that will help improve the quality, performance and durability of your product, you need the best outdoor enclosure solutions available. Polycase is always on hand to provide expert advice and details on our enclosure specifications. That way, you will find a solution tailored to your needs, whether it needs to be protected from heat, rain, dust, water or all of the above!If you have specific questions about enclosure models, NEMA ratings, specifications or anything else, contact us or call 1-800-248-1233 to talk with a trusted expert today.
In Outdoor Electronic Enclosures, Electronics Junction Boxes