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PING sensor moisture protection — Parallax Forums

PING sensor moisture protection

codevipercodeviper Posts: 208
edited 2012-04-23 08:26 in Accessories
ok what would you use to protect the PING sensor from water yet still have it function.
I was thinking plastic film over the opening.
any of you have any experience with this?

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2012-04-13 21:49
    Are you talking moisture or are you talking water? No matter which, you're going to have a significant loss of energy therefore range. If you're talking actual water, you're not going to be able to couple much energy at all into any water. Most of it will just reflect off any air/water boundary. This is all basic physics. There have been some threads before on this subject like using a PING to measure water levels in a container. You might try and look for them.
  • codevipercodeviper Posts: 208
    edited 2012-04-14 08:29
    im talking about splashes and such. i want to use it on an out door robot and not worry if it gets splashed sprayed ECT......
    I made a rather big robot years ago and while it has weathered well with its IR sensors, I wanted to add sonar but noticed the moisture warning.
    think Roomba but 2 feet wide metal and you can sit on it :smile:
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2012-04-14 12:30
    http://www.maxbotix.com/products/WRC.htm
    http://www.futurlec.com/Ultrasonic_Sensors.shtml
    http://www.robotshop.com/senix-tspc-30s1-waterproof-ultrasonic-sensor-1.html
    None are cheap but all should work for you.
  • codevipercodeviper Posts: 208
    edited 2012-04-14 12:53
    actually some of those are quite affordable I would have to find an example of using them, but thanks.
    still though I am curious if anyone has seen a protective cover for the PING sensor.
    if not some one make it, and sell it, id buy it.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2012-04-14 14:29
    Parallax had planned on selling water resistant Pings but canceled the product. They do sell the "weather proof" transducers. I think I'd try them in a $4 ebay sensor before trying to switch out the transducers of a Ping.
  • 35°C0lDFuSion35°C0lDFuSion Posts: 5
    edited 2012-04-15 09:55
    You can try to protect the board with a thick coat of epoxy
  • codevipercodeviper Posts: 208
    edited 2012-04-15 11:34
    that works for the board but not the sensors which seem to be the real problem, according to the datasheets on transducers the one like the Ping unit has are sensitive to getting wet, but they do make water proof transducers.
  • 35°C0lDFuSion35°C0lDFuSion Posts: 5
    edited 2012-04-15 13:11
    Have you try with a stretch nylon socks to see if signal go through.if it does you can use this a splash guard there must be some kind of fabric that does not interfere.
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2012-04-15 16:45
    but they do make water proof transducers
    There are waterproof transducers, they just don/t make a ping))) with them.
  • codevipercodeviper Posts: 208
    edited 2012-04-15 17:27
    this I know but once I have practiced using the PING it may be possible to make my own.
  • TtailspinTtailspin Posts: 1,326
    edited 2012-04-23 08:26
    I put mine in a TupperWare container...
    Ping_Protection.JPG

    Drill two 5/8" holes in the lid, then push it carefully onto the ping,(it will be tight!),
    Make a hole in the box for the cable, and your good to go...

    It's not in the picture, but I also use the fuzzy foam covers from a pair of small "over the ear" speakers,
    Just slip them over the top of the transducer's,..I think any speaker foam should work.

    -Tommy
    Ping_Protection.JPG
    800 x 600 - 398K
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