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Megasquirt Housing / Boxes - Ideas weblinks and help wanted !


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Hi all,

It has always been a worry to me that the "Standard" Megasquirt Box for MS1 MS2 etc is anything bat waterproof,

its not even spashproof !, added to that its extruded Ali and it also can suffer from condensation in a wet smelly

drying out Land Rover. Having something more IP67, prob ABS not Ali and generally more spalsh / waterproof will I

think be useful to many !! ?

So,

On my things to do list is to see if I can sort this via a nice , decent quality PCB enclosure IP67 or higher that will take a

MS PCB neatly, maybe also with waterproof Serial (found one) port and D37 port (still looking :D ) that doesn't costs a fortune

The PCB Board is I belive 6" x 4"

Anyone point me to websites, suppliers, manufactuers etc etc as I am getting less than nowhere :D

Nige

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Hi Nige,

I looked & looked..... purchased a few different connectors but couldn't come up with a IP rated DB37 that would work with the existing board and not having it wired to an intermediate connector. So, I just went with the 'box' in a 'box' approach using the round mil-spec Amphenols. Not the cheapest but the DB connectors were never really intended for IP rated use....

I got all my bits from Digikey & Mouser Electronics..... have the part #'s if you want them for a similar build.

ECU-1.jpg

Cheers,

Andy

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May be it is time to ditch the DB37 connector?

It's hard to wire up (get wires in the small holes)
Much easier (I think there should at least be one unused pin) use some like the 36 way ecoseal at http://www.polevolt.co.uk/acatalog/ECU_Connectors.html

It would be so much easier to connect as it's crimps (I know there has been a lot of discussion about crimps vs solder)

Or another thought go for multiple smaller connectors so you could split the wiring up.
E.g. Power and earths in one connect, Lamba in another (could do away with the connector that most offroad people put in the Lamda line anyway to make easy removal), Injectors, etc)
I you go for including the relay board then you will need larger power connectors anyway.

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May be it is time to ditch the DB37 connector?

I don't think that B&G, when they first designed the board really envisioned the ECU being taken for a swim in a 4x4.....

Having spent quite allot of time working in food manufacturing & process plant, getting a truly sealed dis-connectable transition out a control box normally comes down to some form of heavy duty IP rated chassis connector be it round or rectangular. Personally I think the pre-assembled DB37 looms that you can buy are worth the money, crimped pins are fine if there assembled using a commercial strip & crimp machine (that has regular pull-off quality checks done on it). Use one as a basis for an IP rated enclosure with some form of chassis connector and you can't go too far wrong.

Just my 2c (p)

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Can't one just mount it on the roof well out of the way of any water? A dust/splash resistant casing (so IP55/56 or thereabouts) would be fine up there I would have thought.

The roof isn't all that safe. A roll in a small puddle of water is all it takes to get it wet.

G

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Everyone moans about the 37 pin connector - when your building the boards could you not just solder in a load of cable tails for connecting to more suitable sockets?

Yes.... but then how do you remove the board from the box without having to remove the IP rated chassis sockets from the enclosure. Just use the DB37 for what it really is.... a medium density multiway connector.

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Without redesigning the PCB* you can't easily move away from the D37 connector - and they're actually very good for what they are. They are military spec, and for the size/price you won't find another connector that's rated for 5A per pin with that many contacts. Unless you're intending on submerging your ECU I can't see the point in making an IP69 case, it's a lot of effort, complexity and expense when it's surely more sensible to mount it somewhere out of harm's way. The ECU's Nige sells have conformal coating on the board so they're pretty resistant to moisture, and a finger full of vaseline in the D37 should ward off most attempts at water ingress.

And the first person to say "but what if you're upside-down in a pond?" gets a slap, if that's the case you're not driving anywhere anytime soon anyway. Very few people drive through water deeper than the driver's nose regularly.

IMHO the potential case design improvements are to make the thing simpler to assemble, robust to mount, and possibly with support or improved routing for the MAP sensor as it's always seemed a bit fragile. Going for a smaller overall size might also be nice.

BOPLA/Alubos do some nice slim IP-rated cases that accept the MS PCB but it's a bit tight, my 1st MS was in one:

Img_0329.jpg

That was a V2 board, I think a V3 might mount easier but I'm not sure.

* And you can't do that without licensing from B&G.

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And the first person to say "but what if you're upside-down in a pond?" gets a slap, if that's the case you're not driving anywhere anytime soon anyway. Very few people drive through water deeper than the driver's nose regularly.

Ask yella90 on here. He did this quite easily at mow cop. The only water in miles ! And he flipped it into it...

185104_3911041569363_1765132253_n.jpg

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Ask yella90 on here. He did this quite easily at mow cop. The only water in miles ! And he flipped it into it...

And being able to start the engine then would have helped him how?

If you cut the power reasonably quickly the thing will survive anyway, especially with the PCB coating.

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once built could you set it in a jelly type mould, similar to that one the coil packs. I do totally understand if there is a probelm you'd have to build another. but is the likely hood of that happening? or would heat be a factor?

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Nope, bad idea,

Unless you have REALLY cooked it PCB and contents can be repaired, potting it means its junk :(

plus ECU lets off some heat - may not take kindly to it and go pop just to show you :lol:

But thanks for the thoughts, keep em coming

Couple of idea are forming and working to the top

Option 1 - Nice IP67 box just for ECU with nice mounting plates and silicone seals etc

Option 2 - As above, bigger so it can contain relay Board too

Option 3 - as above and EDIS as well

Need to get some samples and then if suitable look at costings and machining to get right

Hmmmmmm :)

Nige

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Potting is quite common, but does really knacker you for any mods. Also, the compound is not cheap if you need to cast a big enough brick of it to encapsulate an MS board. You'd have to protect the MAP sensor as it needs to breathe to the outside air.

I get the feeling people are seeing a problem that's not there - how many people have actually drowned an ECU?

For that matter, how many people, be they running V8's or TDi's, have ever even had water up past their nips in the cab?

An issue with sealed enclosures, especially with electronics which get warm & then cool down, is that moisture can wick in through the tiniest gap & fill the "sealed" box up. With no airflow, it ends up worse than a case which is unsealed.

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Potting is quite common, but does really knacker you for any mods. Also, the compound is not cheap if you need to cast a big enough brick of it to encapsulate an MS board. You'd have to protect the MAP sensor as it needs to breathe to the outside air.

I get the feeling people are seeing a problem that's not there - how many people have actually drowned an ECU?

For that matter, how many people, be they running V8's or TDi's, have ever even had water up past their nips in the cab?

An issue with sealed enclosures, especially with electronics which get warm & then cool down, is that moisture can wick in through the tiniest gap & fill the "sealed" box up. With no airflow, it ends up worse than a case which is unsealed.

Very true - but where is the fun in that? lmao

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