Any solutions for weatherproof gear?

youstra

Two questions on this:

1) Weatherproof covers - I have a client w/ external PLK-DMS and an NXD-CV7. I've explained that these WILL rot like the very mortgage with which the home was built, but he's willing to give it a go with whatever mitigation I can throw at it.

This has been a multi-year installation and we're only now doing the exterior installs. On the DMS, I'm stuck w/ single-gang because of intricate woodwork. Does anyone have any experience with outdoor decay mitigation? Everything is in a covered cabana-type setting w/ no direct sunlight or driving rain exposure. I had put a couple DMS in when we did the initial install 3 yrs ago and one of them is kaput.

2) I had been using the RTI U-1 for waterproof remote installs (with the AMX RF rcvr). Does anyone know if the U-2 works similarly w/ all the new functionality of that remote?

Thanks!

iainshaw

U2

Sorry can't help on your weatherproofing issues but I can help on the U2.

We've got one in an AMX pool install at the moment. We're not using the trigger commands but I've no reason to believe they don't work. Instead we're issuing our own trigger commands via a serial connection between the RP6 and the NI-3100. Works very well and the range on an RM433 RTI receiver is a lot better than using the AMX receiver

In use the U2 is surprisingly tactile for a membrane type keypad - overall it's just like a waterproof RTI M2 and it's a big improvement on the U1

ericmedley

We've put in the weather proof CP4As They are G3 panels with a plactic covering over the panel. I can tell you they do not withstand beig power washed. But, for most all things they've done pretty well. (Including a tropical storm) Some other things about using them outdoors. You really cannot get away with fancy graphics. They are not bright enough to overcome the glare of sunlight. On those panels we keep the layout very simple with lots of contrast. (Black on white or dark blue and purple on white.)

flcusat

ericmedley wrote: »

We've put in the weather proof CP4As They are G3 panels with a plactic covering over the panel. I can tell you they do not withstand beig power washed. But, for most all things they've done pretty well. (Including a tropical storm) Some other things about using them outdoors. You really cannot get away with fancy graphics. They are not bright enough to overcome the glare of sunlight. On those panels we keep the layout very simple with lots of contrast. (Black on white or dark blue and purple on white.)

Is this panels still available? I can't find them on AMX's site.

ericmedley

flcusat wrote: »

Is this panels still available? I can't find them on AMX's site.

http://www.amx.com/products/AC-CP4A-WRB.asp

It says it has limited availability which means it's on the way out. Get em while their hot folks!

flcusat

ericmedley wrote: »

http://www.amx.com/products/AC-CP4A-WRB.asp

It says it has limited availability which means it's on the way out. Get em while their hot folks!

But that's the bezel. How about the panel?

ericmedley

flcusat wrote: »

But that's the bezel. How about the panel?

It's the CP4A right below it on the touch panels products page

Joe Hebert

ericmedley wrote: »

It says it has limited availability which means it's on the way out. Get em while their hot folks!

The bezels have limited availability but the CP4/As have been discontinued as per the link below.

http://www.amx.com/products/AXD-CP4-A.asp

flcusat

Joe Hebert wrote: »

The bezels have limited availability but the CP4/As have been discontinued as per the link below.

http://www.amx.com/products/AXD-CP4-A.asp

That's what I thought.

ericmedley

flcusat wrote: »

That's what I thought.

That's too bad. It's really a prety good panel. I wonder what the demand for such a thing was? We've only installed them on a couple places.

Most of our homes are on the coast or near salt marshes. Most folks don't put stuff outside since it ends up getting eaten alive by the salt air. We had one client who hired a relative to come out and install a Plasma TV by their pool. It had been out there for 2 years and quit working. We opened it up and it looked like the hull of a sunken ship. It was a mess.

Also, we install a lot of outdoor speakers on boat docks. they last about 2-3 years tops.

youstra

This is a fairly dry air area -- we do outdoor TVs (CRTs under cover from rain and sun) and expect them to go to junk in a few years but we've had none fail so far.

On the controls, we can only do single-gang stuff because of fancy woodwork. So a CP4 is undoable, even if they were available.

I was hoping there might be some waterproof box/enclosure or a 3rd party control. Anyone? Beuller?

We might just end up fabricating our own enclosure and have some spare DMS on hand to swap out.

On the outdoor CV7s, we hang a fabric flap that covers them from sun/spray and remove them from the wall in the off-season. CP4 would've been nice here, but the client looooooooves how we make the G4 rock.

ericmedley

youstra wrote: »

This is a fairly dry air area -- we do outdoor TVs (CRTs under cover from rain and sun) and expect them to go to junk in a few years but we've had none fail so far.

On the controls, we can only do single-gang stuff because of fancy woodwork. So a CP4 is undoable, even if they were available.

I was hoping there might be some waterproof box/enclosure or a 3rd party control. Anyone? Beuller?

We might just end up fabricating our own enclosure and have some spare DMS on hand to swap out.

On the outdoor CV7s, we hang a fabric flap that covers them from sun/spray and remove them from the wall in the off-season. CP4 would've been nice here, but the client looooooooves how we make the G4 rock.

We have used an RTI waterproof remote. We've had trouble with it in the 'water proof' sense. We've had to replace about 4 of them. As long as they stay out of the pool, things seem to go well.

It's an RF remote. You can load the AMX IR commands into it and use the RF reciever by AMX to connect it to the system. If you search the forums you'll probably find it.

iainshaw

RTI

RTI have recently changed their descriptors on these devices. They've become "Weatherproof"...

Splash resistant, yes. Floating about in pools, no.

ericmedley

iainshaw wrote: »

RTI have recently changed their descriptors on these devices. They've become "Weatherproof"...

Splash resistant, yes. Floating about in pools, no.

That's funny! I have a brouchure somewhere around here showing thier U remote floating in a pool next to a scantily clad bather.

youstra

Just saw an ad for a new weatherproofing product from Arlington p/n DBK88 for covering 1 or 2-gang keypads. Looks like it was designed for security consoles but could work for me...though nobody's got it for sale yet.

iainshaw

Reply to Eric

It's does float but the scantily clad bather should be splashing around frantically trying to get it out of the water whilst shouting "don't you guys know this thing is only weatherproof..."

RTI reckon it's good for being droped in pools but they're not that confident about it spending its working life submerged.

flcusat

youstra wrote: »

Just saw an ad for a new weatherproofing product from Arlington p/n DBK88 for covering 1 or 2-gang keypads. Looks like it was designed for security consoles but could work for me...though nobody's got it for sale yet.

Do you have a link? I looked under weatherproof on Arlington's site and I couldn't find it.

vining

Google turns up with this:
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/newbay/res_200808/index.php?startid=7

Jeff Lockyear

Spring is here and now that clients are coming out of hibernation they want the indoors outside. Any breakthroughs in weatherproofing (May-October) CV7s I might have missed (mist)?