Hi all. I have this nifty Bluesea USB and 12v outlet panel that I plan to install in my truck bed, like newer trucks have. This is a camping rig, not a work truck so there's no worry about the outlets getting smashed. The front is protected enough (it's designed for the outside of a boat's cabin) but the back is not. I'm looking for a good way to make it all survive in between the inner and outer walls of my truck's bed. It won't see submersion, but I assume it'll be subject to some road spray as the bedsides are open underneath. My thought right now is to seal the connections with clear silicone and to create some sort of spray guard under it. What do y'all think?
This is the truck in question. Not that it's terribly relevant, I just like it and wanted to share.
Maybe a plastic box to mount it in on the backside.
Lots of dielectric grease? Run all the wires from the quickslide connectors to a sealed connector like Deutsch and cover the whole backside with potting compound? That would probably cost more than the panel.
noddaz said:
Maybe a plastic box to mount it in on the backside.
I'm thinking along the same line. Since the panel is designed for the outside of a boat's cabin perhaps there is a sealed box made for it.
Flex seal? Slather in liquid electrical tape?
First the disclaimer: I'm no expert in marine electronics.
I've used liquid electrical tape on almost every connection when wiring my boats. I like the stuff.
Would the liquid electrical tape just get painted over all the spade connectors? I've never used or even seen the stuff.
thatsnowinnebago (Forum Supporter) said:
Would the liquid electrical tape just get painted over all the spade connectors? I've never used or even seen the stuff.
It's basically flex seal in a brush top can.
I think using the liquid electrical tape on the connectors would be your best bet. The other option would be to find some sort of box to cover the rear. Like a single DIN radio enclosure or something.
Also +1 for the 92-96 F150 with the Alcoa wheels. That is my favorite F150 generation with the best wheel option.
Could you make a vapor barrier for it like the inside of a door panel?
In reply to stanger_mussle (Forum Supporter) :
Hey thanks! I'd be lying if I said the wheels weren't a big part of why I picked this one.
stanger_mussle (Forum Supporter) said:
Also +1 for the 92-96 F150 with the Alcoa wheels. That is my favorite F150 generation with the best wheel option.
I'm 100% with you on that. Great truck, and I like the period correct two tone. My 88 Silverado is brown and gold.
When I do stuff like this, I ditch the cheap jacketed crimps and do non-inuslated crimp connectors with shrink wrap.
You can make your own by cutting/pulling the plastic jacket off of normal crimp connectors. Then put the shrink wrap on flush with the end of the connector. Install with dielectric grease. Like this:
I also solder every one. This not only makes them bulletproof, but there is no way for moisture to creep into the strands of the wire that way.
I try to get enough grease to fully "seal" the conductor. After you shrink wrap it, squirt some up in the cavity and coat the pin on the switch. When it's done, you should have a bead of grease at the base, almost like you are caulking a bathtub surround.
The way many circuit boards are done is with epoxy, but that makes things very permanent.
I'd put some pigtails out to Weather Pack or equivalent connectors and built some kind of temporary dam and pot the whole back side in Dow Corning 838 silicone potting compound
There's a product called Seal-All that is a good bit more robust than liquid electrical tape but not as much hassle to use as epoxy.
Only because I have it, I would replace the existing wiring with 3 separate individual pigtails @12" long so I could slip 4" or so of big heat shrink up over the back of each of those individual pods. Sure it wouldn't shrink down enough to be tight on the wires, but it would shrink down enough to get tucked into some smaller diameter shrink wrap that would be tight on the wires.
I think I'm going to go with the liquid electrical tape option here. I'm a bit space limited, otherwise I'd try that shrink tubing idea. Is there a brand we like? Amazon recommends Star Brite.
In reply to thatsnowinnebago (Forum Supporter) :
Star Brite is a good brand to use.
I'm missing my red/gray '95 F250 4x4. It's quarantined in Utah and I'm in Florida. Probably the only rust free F250 in Utah given the prodigious amounts of salt they throw down on their roads.
R/C guys use this stuff generously for waterproofing electronics:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003HFTI0S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.flitetest.com/articles/waterproofing-electronics
It also works very good as a penetrating oil and anti-rust coating, quite pricey but the can lasts awhile.
