Outdoor encosure ideas

FlightAware ADS-B Flight Tracking
1

Has anyone found a way to get the Rasp Pi, and its power cord, plus the various attachments to fit in a box that can get power, that can sit outside?

I keep thinking about a junction box, but I can’t quite figure out how to get a power plug in it, to keep it water tight and also how to keep the interior cool enough such that the Pi doesn’t overheat. (Antenna on the top, sealed, Pi, wifi adapter, filter and dongle and power cord all in the enclosure).

2

I have mine in the attic and power it using POE.
I run LMR400 out the vent to the antenna attached to the chimney.
I needed a case with a fan to keep the CPU temp under control.

3

This is what I used:

maplin.co.uk/p/timeguard-ip6 … -box-n97fy

Maplin is a UK shop / site, but it also seems to be on the US Amazon site: amazon.com/Timeguard-WPM02- … eguard+box

It’s about 24 x 16 x 11 cm

I got this POE kit:

amazon.co.uk/TP-LINK-TL-POE … B0038X3RVA

and a cable like this to power the Pi from it:

amazon.com/DC-5-5x2-1mm-mic … +micro-USB

Then lined up the Pi in the box, and glued on 4 nuts:

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and then put the Pi on some “legs”:

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these legs then screwed into the glued nuts.

The finished box looked like this:

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Though I have now replaced the Flightaware filter with a HubAmp hopping to increase my stats, but don’t think it’s really made a difference (I had to drop my gain down from about 45 without it to 20 with it, and am maybe getting slightly more messages per sec, but not as many as I had hopped for). The black box to the right is a 32GB SSD in a USB to SATA enclosure. I’ve moved the root partition from the SD card to it to reduce the write load on the SD card. It’s worked ok apart from 3 times in a week or so when it “disappeared” leading to the Pi needing a reboot, I thought it may be power related (though the SSD is only rated at 200mA), however after the 3rd time I realised that it seemed to be doing it every time during a heavy rain / thunder / lightning storm, and we haven’t had a storm for over a week now and its been without issue again, so maybe the lightning was causing the issues.

4

5

My biggest concern with both of these are the lack of cooling… these will be outside in KY, 100F temp 80%+ Humidity often during the summer. k5ted’s design is likely close to what I’ve been thinking of… just need to figure a way to cool it.

6

How outside will it be? Under an eave or really exposed to the elements from all sides?

I’ve run this one up to 78C with an air vent.

This enclosure in the picture can accomodate a 2.5" vent and fan, but that won’t work if it is out in the wide open as the fan will likely suck in water spray and detritus in bad weather. In an attic it would be perfect with a fan.

7

Most likely I’ll end up just setting or tie it to a rail on my deck in back. (Renting a house don’t want to be drilling or attaching to the house). Currently have a setup in the attic just sitting there, and attached to a rafter for the antenna… but I’m missing a LOT of the traffic due west of me, so wanting to put something in the back that I can have pick up more traffic even if it’s got lots of trees there.

8

This box, with the vent installed, would likely work fine for you out on the deck.

Here’s the box: amzn.com/B005T6FL18

Here’s the vent: amzn.com/B011NEJ6WO

9

Check out the $3 plastic funnel in another thread – a work of Art! No, I don’t think his name was Art, but it’s a great idea!

–bob k6rtm