Waterproofing a Float Plane

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retiredVTT
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Waterproofing a Float Plane

Unread post by retiredVTT » Thu Feb 18, 2010 1:22 am

Here's a link that explains Corrison X, a product the miltary use as an anti-corrosive product.

http://corrosionxproducts.com/corrosionxpage.htm

I have dipped servos in it to eliminate water infiltration problems on float planes.
Also esc's can be dipped in it as a guard against wetness.

I don't believe it's locally available, but is from Ontario.

Do a search on Goggle.

Bill
Bill
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lawndart
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Re: Waterproofing a Float Plane

Unread post by lawndart » Thu Feb 18, 2010 11:39 am

Hi Bill --

This is a topic near and dear to my heart, for both seaplanes and rc boat electronics.

I've never used Corrosion X although heard about it for years. In the boat world there were modelers dipping receivers and servo electronics in it and getting rid of watertight radio boxes altogether. I have never found it locally but understand it's used very widely in aviation, so one might be able to find it up at the airport.

For my two seaplanes and four boats I've used Silicone Conformal Coating from MG Industries. It's available over at RAE in Burnside. The product comes in an aerosol can and produces a dielectric film of dry but flexible silicone all over everything. SCC is pretty toxic so I use it outside, with a mask, and only on small components and amounts.

For an ESC I take the shrink off and give it a couple of thorough coats of the stuff, extending maybe an inch up the wires. Once it's dry I use a couple of small rings of shrink just to hold the ESC's heatsink in place, while leaving the remainder fully exposed so it can't trap water. Rx's are easy to de-case and spray, however I always mask the servo pins so as not to interfere with contact when the servos are attached. I don't treat my motors or servos but have yet to have a water-related failure. In fact a brushless motor will run underwater without any trouble. I've (inadvertently) tried it.

So far the SCC product has worked well for me, and I like that it doesn't stay oily like Corrosion X. I've heard that Castle Creations uses SCC on its waterproof line of ESCs.

Dave
------d-a-v-e---------------- >}-

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