The Task
This enclosure is designed to be mounted on a variety of different pipe sizes, providing a water proof solution to housing both power supplies and PCBs to be mounted onto an irrigation pivot for individual dripper control.
Considerations
– Finding box dimensions that would best accommodate PCB’s and power supplies with dimensions that could not be changed.
– Ensuring that there were enough cable for a variety of configurations, and that they were positioned with space for tool access.
– Branding, how was the device going to carry the company image?
– How would it mount to the pipes? Was the bracket strong enough? Could it clamp without rotation in high winds?
– Assembly, how were the contents to be installed and assembled, and finally the complete unit installed?
The manufacturer of this unit was a specialist box manufacturer which helped simplify the design as I didn’t have to design the door. However, depth turned out to be a key dimension. DIN mounted power supplies were narrow but very tall. Additionally, height needed careful consideration for cable entry as routing over 30 DC pairs into the box required space for the cables to flex.
Features
The enclosure features two holes on top, weather sealed and required for the solar panel and GPS antenna.
On the bottom are cut outs for large glands for the many DC pairs required, and smaller glands for power, antenna and communications wiring.
Inside are 4 posts allowing for the use of a gear try, allowing for assembly and testing outside of the box. Once all the gear is assembled on the tray, it can be tested before final installation.
The Result
With careful planning, this design ended up as a robust piece of gear that could house a variety of components and be mounted anywhere on the irrigation pivot. Correct manufacturing procedures resulted in complete water tightness even with cut outs at the top of the box. The stainless steel material ensures that the gear inside is protected through all seasons and for many years to come.
