Coating circuit boards with wax

[ry_goody]

I've noticed that on toy rc boats (tyco) that they coat the circuit board with a thick layer of wax. Would it be a good idea to do that with my futaba rx and ESC? Like take out the circuit boards and dip them in hot wax a few times. Will that harm anything?

[Twmaster]

I would not do that. Remember the tyco stuff are toys not real big boy toy stuff. If you are that worried about water wrap the electrinics in a condom. The wax wiill melt when the gear gets warm. Just a bad idea IMHO.

[So.Cal. Craig]

I agree wax isn't the best idea. Here in So. Calif. there are hot days that would make a mess of the wax. I wrap my rx in plastic and tape it well. I don't bother with the servo unless I see I've got alot of water in the hull. I did once sink a boat and just opened up the rx, servo, & motor then dried it with a warm/cool hair dryer (not hot!) and let it set open for a couple of days. I keep my eye open for small water condinsation in the plastic and change every so often. After some rough runs I notice more water in the hull and check everything.
Part of the hobby I enjoy is cleaning and detailing my boats after the day and get them ready for the next time. They look & work new as the day I finished them.

[Twmaster]

I'll also have to agree with Craig here. Water while not good for electronics will not ruin most low voltage electronics either, providing you get them dried out once wet. I have had very good success with the same procedure as craig with one additional step. Rinse all of the gear that got wet with tap water or distilled water to remove residue from your lake/pond while you have everything apart. Allow to thoroughly dry and all should be well. Wraping in waterproof material or putting inside a radio box is also a good idea.

Cheers,

[So.Cal. Craig]

Hey Mike,
I'm running a new Hydro with an Aveox 1412, and the esc is a Schulze-88. It is wrapped in thick plastic-heat-shrink, and the ends are still open to where water can get in. After reading many people blowing this controller due to water on another site I put a bead of high-temp. silicone at the ends to help keep the water out. I've made 1 run and the silicone seems okay, what is your take on this situation? At $215 a controller, you would think a little more protection would have been designed into this thing!

[Twmaster]

High temp. silicone in the ends is about as good as you are going to get for sealing short of mounting the thing in a box. I agree. For the intended job and the cost they should be easier to seal or come pre sealed.

I am embarking on a new super fast project modeled after Dick Crowe's record setting O-mono with a Hacker B50-8L, Shultze 58 and an El Lobo II hull from Bandit or Ray Fuller with Fuller hardware. Should be a rocket :)

I'll show those nitro swilling bubba's a thing or three! :P

Cheers,

[sportwin]

for the life of me, i can't remember the name of the stuff, but there is a company that makes a coating the waterproofs everything, I saw it at the wram show, they run servos, an electic train and a ton of other things under water. it some kinda solution. I'll check the wram show site to see if they have a list of vendors. this maybe help your water sealing problems

[Andrew Gilchrist]

Mike

the El Lobo is a good hull if you can find a good hull

the Lightning 628 will give you a straight light and fast hull every time

[AndyKunz]

Several products (same thing):

The Stuph
Aerotrend (from Aeromarine)
CorrosionX (from your local FBO or marina).

I use CorrosionX in my servos. Everything else (including the ESCs I manufacture) gets coated with 3M DP-270 available from www.newark.com or I'll do it for you.

Andy

Originally posted by sportwin
for the life of me, i can't remember the name of the stuff, but there is a company that makes a coating the waterproofs everything, I saw it at the wram show, they run servos, an electic train and a ton of other things under water. it some kinda solution. I'll check the wram show site to see if they have a list of vendors. this maybe help your water sealing problems