Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

How do you guys do waterproofing for your receivers? I have a Bancroft 19" Catamaran (Motion RC RTR FE) and it comes with a balloon to put the stock receiver in. I currently have some electrical tape securing the end (where the wires exit) but I feel there is a better way. I've read articles where a 2 part epoxy is used to brush on both sides of the rx circuit board to completely seal it, is that true? Thanks,

Mark

Hydro Junkie

I don't do anything to my radio gear, at least in that sense.
What many of us do is spray Corrosion X onto the circuit board of your receiver. This protects the receiver from shorting out due to water getting into it.
Option 2 would be to enclose your radio gear in a water-resistant box. This is how my boat is set up
Option 3, and probably the best option, is to seal the boat with water resistant tape at the joints where the top of the boat and the deck come together

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

Thanks for the reply Hydro,

For Option I using Corrosive X, you would have to remove the plastic housing of the rx so to spray both sides of the circuit board? Also, is it a one time application?

Option 2 - space is a bit limited so a box would be tricky.

Option 3 - still working on trying to keep water out of the boats interior. I'll give the canopy tape a try and see if that helps. I'll have to admit to something a bit embarrassing...the first time out I flipped the boat, then proceeded to run it over with the rescue boat trying to recover it. The front sponson took some prop damage. I used fiberglass to repair it and have done some bathtub tests to check for leaks, no leaks with it sitting there. But wondering if water is being forced in somewhere while the boat is running and it isn't being picked up with the bathtub test?

Right now, as crazy as it sounds I am running the boat with some papertowels stuffed in the back corners to help absorb the water. Be nice if they had a one-way valve I could put back there to drain the water while the boat is running.

I've included a few pictures - first is the boat and second is the sponson repair...

Hydro Junkie

Okay, let's look at it this way:

1. If you coat the receiver board with epoxy, you have to take it out of the case anyway AND you make the receiver unrepairable. Epoxy also adds a lot more weight
2. I get the room issue, could be done, if you were building the boat at the same time
3. I'm thinking water is getting in through the drive shaft tube, the rudder pushrod seal or something you didn't think about, through the screw holes in the boat's bottom, that's assuming your repair got all of the damage. I would make two changes, replace the paper towel with a cut up kitchen sponge and fill the screw recesses with silicone caulking compound, just in case

Aframomum

My Feedback: (10)

So I was able to take care of siliconing the screw recesses. I also hit the stuffing tube entry point with a small bit of silicone. I greased the flex shaft several runs ago so I feel that is ok. I looked at the rudder pushrod seal and that looks good and sealed, no leaking.

After another test run my boat came in with a good amount of water inside. I will say the weather was rough, windy and some good chop, so not the best conditions. She did the submarine thing a few times going into the waves. Probably could have skipped the day of boating. I do like your idea of cut up sponge instead of paper towels - thanks.

When I got the boat home to clean and wash I decided to wash with the canopy secured on. Was very surprised that some water got inside, so can now almost certainly say the canopy is where the water is coming in. I picked up some waterproof tape and will take it out in the morning to see if it makes a difference. Looking forward to some nicer conditions in the am.

Still going back and forth with the rx ideas - spray or epoxy.

videoonboard

Thanks this gave me pointers on what to expect as far as water leaking in and potential solutions.