Weatherproofing

[Guest guest]

ny_yankee_25 wrote:

Jeff Millard wrote:

The reason all the veterans are saying they don't waste time weatherproofing... Is because it's a waste of time and it doesn't work! Water leaches in large rocks and small animals at any attempt to overcome plain old drip dry connections. You can try time and time again to challenge Mother Nature, and she will always win. The crap that collects in the connections will help to decompose the cheap faux-brass tabs, it will conduct, and it will trip ground fault protection.

The best, and only choice is to elevate connections and allow them to drip dry. Rainwater isn't conductive. The crap it draws in and traps in taped up wire is what's conductive. It also promotes corrosion. Wrapping, taping, enclosing, glueing, "RTV"ing... all bad ideas. You can either learn from our past mistakes... or argue until you have a coron... ...until you're blue in the face. It won't change this simple fact. Buy some C9 stakes and snap your connections in them... and forget about all this.

Jeff

Well said! I could not have said it better!

but you said earlier you swore by the "cord connects" (post 14)...??

[Max-Paul]

Tim Herberger wrote:

Fireworks on the fourth!! :cool:

Loud explosions could cause heart problems, please remember to take your meds...

Great photo Tim. Did you by chance take it? BTW what city is this take from?

[Steven]

ny_yankee_25 wrote:

See if the plug comes apart just enough, than water can connect between the two contacts.

If water connects between the two contacts, that's not a problem.

The problem is when the water connects between the "hot" contact and ground (or through someone who's standing on the ground).

[crackchecker]

Jeff Millard wrote:

The best, and only choice is to elevate connections and allow them to drip dry. Rainwater isn't conductive. The crap it draws in and traps in taped up wire is what's conductive. It also promotes corrosion. Wrapping, taping, enclosing, glueing, "RTV"ing... all bad ideas. You can either learn from our past mistakes... or argue until you have a coron... ...until you're blue in the face. It won't change this simple fact. Buy some C9 stakes and snap your connections in them... and forget about all this.

Jeff

Go Jeff, Go!

I concure. I don't have a rain problem, I have a sprinkler problem. Tried over and over to protect the connections from the water only to fill the connector with water... or like last Christmas...fill my FM trasmitter and it's transformer with water...... Never knew you could transmit radio under water. EGAD that was a close call..

[rgardner518]

DonFL wrote:

ny_yankee_25 wrote:

Jeff Millard wrote:

The reason all the veterans are saying they don't waste time weatherproofing... Is because it's a waste of time and it doesn't work! Water leaches in large rocks and small animals at any attempt to overcome plain old drip dry connections. You can try time and time again to challenge Mother Nature, and she will always win. The crap that collects in the connections will help to decompose the cheap faux-brass tabs, it will conduct, and it will trip ground fault protection.

The best, and only choice is to elevate connections and allow them to drip dry. Rainwater isn't conductive. The crap it draws in and traps in taped up wire is what's conductive. It also promotes corrosion. Wrapping, taping, enclosing, glueing, "RTV"ing... all bad ideas. You can either learn from our past mistakes... or argue until you have a coron... ...until you're blue in the face. It won't change this simple fact. Buy some C9 stakes and snap your connections in them... and forget about all this.

Jeff

Well said! I could not have said it better!

but you said earlier you swore by the "cord connects" (post 14)...??

The original question was

Had a big problem last year with rain and wet snow/ice. Anyone have tips on what they do to combat this? I have never weatherproofed my connections etc... should I?

I said what I used, (post 14) Cord Connects. BUT, I agree with Jeff. Its very time consuming worrying about that. Do I use cord connects everywhere? No! But that's what I use. I don't waste my time with petty things like that. Which is why I said to Jeff,

Well said!

Can't I have some cord connects and agree with Jeff?

[Donny M. Carter]

Agree!

[rgardner518]

pm sent!

[Guest guest]

ny_yankee_25 wrote:

DonFL wrote:

ny_yankee_25 wrote:

Jeff Millard wrote:

The reason all the veterans are saying they don't waste time weatherproofing... Is because it's a waste of time and it doesn't work! Water leaches in large rocks and small animals at any attempt to overcome plain old drip dry connections. You can try time and time again to challenge Mother Nature, and she will always win. The crap that collects in the connections will help to decompose the cheap faux-brass tabs, it will conduct, and it will trip ground fault protection.

The best, and only choice is to elevate connections and allow them to drip dry. Rainwater isn't conductive. The crap it draws in and traps in taped up wire is what's conductive. It also promotes corrosion. Wrapping, taping, enclosing, glueing, "RTV"ing... all bad ideas. You can either learn from our past mistakes... or argue until you have a coron... ...until you're blue in the face. It won't change this simple fact. Buy some C9 stakes and snap your connections in them... and forget about all this.

Jeff

Well said! I could not have said it better!

but you said earlier you swore by the "cord connects" (post 14)...??

The original question was

Had a big problem last year with rain and wet snow/ice. Anyone have tips on what they do to combat this? I have never weatherproofed my connections etc... should I?

I said what I used, (post 14) Cord Connects. BUT, I agree with Jeff. Its very time consuming worrying about that. Do I use cord connects everywhere? No! But that's what I use. I don't waste my time with petty things like that. Which is why I said to Jeff,

Well said!

Can't I have some cord connects and agree with Jeff?

You can do anything you want to...

Not calling you out, didn't mean to come across like I was questioning what you do... anyway, thanks for clarifying.

[lleibeck]

Ok, I don't want to start any comments on the importance of safety, I am with ya.

But I do find it interesting that a large percent of us most likely grew up in a house without GFI's and for me, our outlets didn't even have a ground.

Somehow we survived.

Lee

[George Simmons]

lleibeck wrote:

... a large percent of us most likely grew up in a house without GFI's and for me, our outlets didn't even have a ground.

Somehow we survived.

How many people on this forum even know what a household fuse looks like, I wonder... you played with electricity for keeps in those days. In my case, I think it was a fear of electricity that kept me alive long enough to learn how to respect it and not be afraid any more. I believe that some people today rely too heavily on safety features, even though those features EXIST to keep idiots from melting themselves.

[Arnoldc]

George Simmons wrote:

lleibeck wrote:

... a large percent of us most likely grew up in a house without GFI's and for me, our outlets didn't even have a ground.

Somehow we survived.

How many people on this forum even know what a household fuse looks like, I wonder... you played with electricity for keeps in those days. In my case, I think it was a fear of electricity that kept me alive long enough to learn how to respect it and not be afraid any more. I believe that some people today rely too heavily on safety features, even though those features EXIST to keep idiots from melting themselves.

Sometime idiots, nothing like sticking your hand in a saltwater tank and finding out that the heater seal leaked.. Oh joy fun times.... thank god for breakers!!!

[rgardner518]

George Simmons wrote:

lleibeck wrote:

... a large percent of us most likely grew up in a house without GFI's and for me, our outlets didn't even have a ground.

Somehow we survived.

How many people on this forum even know what a household fuse looks like, I wonder... you played with electricity for keeps in those days. In my case, I think it was a fear of electricity that kept me alive long enough to learn how to respect it and not be afraid any more. I believe that some people today rely too heavily on safety features, even though those features EXIST to keep idiots from melting themselves.

Fuses. You mean these? I remember these! Every time they blew, you unscrewed them and put in a penny, then screwed them back in! Those were the good old days.


Attached files

[Steven]

George Simmons wrote:

I believe that some people today rely too heavily on safety features, even though those features EXIST to keep idiots from melting themselves.

There was a theory that if the (driver's) seat belt was replaced with pointed spikes on the steering wheel, that traffic injuries would go down.

[Max-Paul]

ny_yankee_25 wrote:

George Simmons wrote:

lleibeck wrote:

... a large percent of us most likely grew up in a house without GFI's and for me, our outlets didn't even have a ground.

Somehow we survived.

How many people on this forum even know what a household fuse looks like, I wonder... you played with electricity for keeps in those days. In my case, I think it was a fear of electricity that kept me alive long enough to learn how to respect it and not be afraid any more. I believe that some people today rely too heavily on safety features, even though those features EXIST to keep idiots from melting themselves.

Fuses. You mean these? I remember these! Every time they blew, you unscrewed them and put in a penny, then screwed them back in! Those were the good old days.

The penny was for good luck right? Was a kid over at a relatives house with those kind of screw in fuses. Fuse pops and one of the adults puts in a dime (you know a dime has to do a better job right!). Next thing you know the wiring in the walls start to smoke. Got fuse back out real quick and luck has it the house did not burn down.

[testraub]

Tim Herberger wrote:

I don't think those extension cords are rated for use outdoors...

 

For temporary use (90 days or less) they are legal

[Tim Herberger]

Jeff Millard wrote:

testraub wrote:

Tim Herberger wrote:

I don't think those extension cords are rated for use outdoors...

For temporary use (90 days or less) they are legal

I think Timmy was pullin' someone's chain with that post...

Jeff

Moi? Never...:cool:

[rodman1369]

Hey guys...I'm kinda a newby here...and I For One...Appreciate any and all suggestions I can gleem from here and other places. It was VERY obvious that Some people here find amusement in tearing apart certain member's attempts to impart their wisdom and experience to help others. Why??? Do you think it's cute? When you flame someone else's post...you are just exposing how childish you can lower yourselves to be. I want to learn here...Not read a bunch of posts trashing others. Now you can flame me...I don't care...but you should pause and think on how your typed comments Might just be a big waste of space to people like me...here to LEARN. We need a separate section just for idiots to play amongst themselves...and not waste reading time. Mayhaps a button to vote to send offenders there...Not by one person of course...but if several people pushed the idiot button...they would find themselves in a "time-out" place with white walls. 'nuff said.

Question...when I hit the ignore button...do the "ignored" see that? Cause I want them to know it...won't make a difference to child-like spammers...but they Might see their world getting just that little bit smaller...and feel a tiny pang of regret for their actions.

[Tim Herberger]

1. 
   
2. Question was answered on the first page, elevate - do not tape.
   
3. Sometimes less is more.
   
4. It will never happen.
   
5. No.

[Tim Herberger]

Max-Paul wrote:

Tim Herberger wrote:

Fireworks on the fourth!! :cool:

Great photo Tim. Did you by chance take it? BTW what city is this take from?

I only wish I could take pictures like that, it just a hot linked to another site and I saw no info on what city that is.

[zman]

I feel lucky then. In 7+ years of animation, and decades of decorating, I have not had vandal problems, nor issues with water in my connections, and I live in Seattle. I attempt to keep as many connections directly off the lawn as I can. Pieces of wood, zipped to the display item, lattice on the lawn for major power points.

I agree that you do what works, but saving time and money, TIME being the critical factor in that statement. I am a one man band. It takes me about 25 man days to set up my display. So I shave hours where I can, and attempt to use the KISS method. Keep It Stupidly Simple.

About the only additional input I can supply, don't take it to the very end and have nothing in reserve. Keep spares. Spare channels, controllers, cords, money etc... What I have figured out over the years is that all the planning in the world does not fix "Stuff Happens" Oh yeah, I guess the one lat thing I do is really plan for load balancing on all of my circuits.

Lastly, on heat shrink. I agree that silicon helps inside. However, I have moved away from the regular heat shrink and stepped up to the stuff that has extra adhesive inside it. It seems to hold up better than the regular shrink.