IP testing water tanks

[MechMonkey]

Hi,

Our company is looking at being able to dunk test new designs.

Our current design requires IP67 protection.

I've access to a very large open top water tank, problem being it's 2.5m in height and in no way sufficiently secured.

The tank only needs to be around 150cm in height and must a secure lid. Any suggestions from those currently dunking?

Not really bothered if it has a drainage tap as we have a suitable water pump here.

I'm dying of man flu today, so any suggestions of what you guys are using would be great and save me from trawling through countless pages of pretty looking garden butts that cost a pretty penny!

If I do find something first, I'll update.

Thanks

 

[btrueblood]

Horse watering troughs (galv steel or polyethylene) are relatively cheap and fairly robust.

Are you bubble leak testing, or just dunking and then post-testing for moisture intrusion? For bubble testing, we got a bit more elaborate for some of our product lines, with a purpose-built s.s. tank on a frame with casters, a counterweighted dunking mechanism and toggle clamps to hold the UUT in place on it (reduces operator fatigue) and plumbed to supply high and low pressure air for leak testing. We also had a submersible lighting system but tossed it when we realized that overhead lighting was sufficient to detect bubbles.

 

[LittleInch]

Ok, Only 150cm high, but what sort of area size and volume is your item?

why the security? - stop people / things from falling in or because you need to leave your item there for hours overnight?

ready made or can you fabricate something on site from e.g. pipe?

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[hendersdc]

We go pretty simple with IPX7 testing, we just fill a trash can with water to the appropriate depth. We have used long steel rods that extend above the water's surface to keep buoyant units underwater but still have easy access to the weights. We have also used water finding test paper like this stuff that turns bright pink when exposed to water: [URL unfurl="true"]https://www.avogadro-lab-supply.com/item/Hydrion_Water_Finding_Test_Paper/785[/url]

If you tape this in place around any seals it can help distinguish between an actual leak and some accidental splashing during disassembly.

 

[MechMonkey]

Thanks for the replies guys.

btrueblood - We're just post-testing for moisture intrusion. Love your bubble leak set up. I'll definitely look into the troughs, see if there's something we can make work.

LittleInch - Our UUT is only 80mm in height. So long as it sits at a meter depth we're good to test against IPX7. Yes, the lid is purely to stop things from falling in whilst not in use. Save me climbing inside the bugger to clean it out. We've access to a TIG welder, so we could certainly look at fabricating something from pipe.

Hendersdc - Thanks for the heads up about the water paper. Never used this before, I'll certainly be getting some in.

Again, thanks for the replies.