Water proofing the ECG-PPR-B-C v1.5

The ECG-PPR-B-C v1.5 two channel differential receiver from Joshua Systems and is covered with adhesive lined heat shrink tubing.


Pixel Receiver (version 3). Both side of receiver shown and the completed receiver below.

The receiver has two input connectors on the right. The larger input connector supplies 12 volts with enough current for two hundred full bright white pixels. The smaller input connector has two RS-422 differential pairs, each providing the data for one pixel output port. It also supplies 12 volts to power the receiver, and two spare leads connected to the 'accessory" connector.

The receiver has two output connectors and an accessory connector on the left. The top and bottom three pin connectors are pixel ports, each supplying 12 volts to the pixel string as well as the data stream to control the pixels. The center connector is a four pin accessory port which is connected to the receiver 12 volt supply and to the two accessory leads from the data input connector. The accessory port is for future use and can be used to send or receive signals back to where the pixel controller is located. If a port is not used it is capped with a sealed connector.

The connectors have heat-shrink to keep water out of the cable jacket and to make them less white, and less visible, on a black fence in daylight. It also provides UV protection. The edges of all the heat shrink is glued with Loctite 406 to ensure water tightness.

Here is an example of the damage caused by water. In this case the damage was severe enough to short out the power.

The 3-lead flat wire has small valleys between the leads which allows water to get under the heat shrink despite the fact that it was adhesive lined. After losing two receivers to water damage I started super gluing the edges of the heat shrink