stuck Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Gent's, I'm sure I've read this before on here but can find the post. I'm just about to squirt a 3.9 CCV truck for a mate but can't figure out how to protect the ECU / EDIS from water. Being a CCV truck it doesn't have much body work let alone a roof so the only thing I can thing of doing is mounting them in an IP65 enclosure, that in itself is fine but how do I stop water getting in through the compression fitting that's going to be required for the loom? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Mick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 The EDIS units are fully waterproof anyway so can/should be mounted in the engine compartment. For the MS I personally think the best solution is simply to build the ECU into an IP67 box either still inside it's "standard" MS case or just by mounting the PCB in there without a case. It's also a good idea to put the relays and fuses in there too. For the wiring you can either buy aftermarket waterproof chassis ECU connectors (not cheap) or make up short male to female DB harnesses that go through a standard waterproof cable entry. For the vacuum pipe just use a bulkhead connector. If you make up DB male to female connectors make sure you fill the loom with vaseline and then wrap it tightly as that will stop water travelling along the wires inside the loom. If you only want IP65 protection then the standard MS case already meets that spec anyway, especially if you run a bead of silicone where the end plates meet the top and bottom casing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 Tesco do some very reasonable lock-and-seal tupperware you know If he's racing it's not getting submerged, just splashed, so if you run the cables in through a grommeted hole in the bottom of the box and maybe smear some silicone round it, hopefully gravity will be on your side. Just keep it out of the firing line as much as possible and all should be well. For added protection, coat the PCB with conformal coating (~£5 a tin from maplins) that will keep corrosion at bay on the insides if it's left moist, just avoid spraying the MAP sensor if possible. I coat every PCB I build as a matter of course. The MS case is pretty good but the connectors are the weak points, they should be happy enough being filled with vaseline (this is how the telecomms industry does it), everything else can be sealed with a smear of silicone. If you want to go really extreme you can pot it, but that is kinda a one-shot deal and you'd need to mask off the MAP sensor and prevent the potting compound from creeping into the other connectors. TBH a few generous coats of conformal coating should do it, and that can be soldered-through if needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Any option / result is beter than none, I have seen ECU held up (Hi Mr Beagley) to allow the water to to drain out after "Enthusiast wading" I have seen all sorts of options, from the IP68 submersibile ali casing with O rings and bulkhead grommets made into the loom, (Very Nice) to Tyupperware boxes and a 1/3 tonne of Silicone , to a chip as chips and hugely effective thick "Sealable bag" stuck on the LR with velcro, and silica jell bags inside and then sealed up and glued together, and then swapped for new bag now and again. Silca jell keeps everything dry, and I have seen this "Bagged-Ecu " completely submerged without any drama Maybe bad and tuperware combo ? IP68 enclosures are NOT cheap Nige Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I've used an IP67 box for everything (ECU, EDIS, Power distribution block, fuse holder, relays, etc) with all wires/pipes using glands. It's still a work in progress, as I need to add more wires and tidy it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 One risk with totally sealed boxes is they're not totally sealed - condensation can leach in up the wires etc. with changes of temperature, and if you "know" your ECU is sealed you are less inclined to open the box and let the water out once in a while! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted April 30, 2012 Share Posted April 30, 2012 I'm using a IP rated alum box & a pair of mil spec plug & sockets for the loom. The relays & fuse box will be mounted onto the box lid and the whole thing bolted to the rear cab back behind the drivers seat as high up as possible. Should be safe there and well out of harms way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 Got a start on the Megasquirt install last night, mounted the ECU into the stronger water resistant box & added the chunky MIL spec connectors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 Just about got the MS unit ready for install, just the relay box to mount now and make a bracket to fit it onto the top of the seatbox behind my auto shifter. Have allowed for fan control but will prob be going for a VC fan as not 100% confident that twin electrics will do the job when it gets over 30 deg C here in summer..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iomlt Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 nothing for me. If its around shoulder to neck height i wont care anymore i'll be out the truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted February 27, 2013 Share Posted February 27, 2013 And if its upside down ( remember seen some of your gentle off road piccies ) ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 And if its upside down Well you're not going anywhere if you're upside-down anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iomlt Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 I don't know what you mean Nige... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Is there actually a course in that picture? Or did you all just decide to chuck the cars into the bushes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hybrid_From_Hell Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 He just runni8ng in the new pegged diff with a few gentle miles N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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