A waterproof case with inductive charging for RileyLink boards (433 & 915 MHz versions)
The waterproof case consists of two parts (top and bottom), is sealed by a silicone seal and held in place by a rubber band. Feel free to print one yourself or have a look at Shapeways if you do not have access to a 3D printer.
Some very decent print result was archieved with the following setup:
- Prusa i3 MK2
- 0.4mm extruder nozzle
- Infill 20%
- High quality PLA, preferable white color to better see the charging LED
- Support structure for top of the case with some additional support blockers
- print time for top and bottom about 4 hours
The main silicone seal is borrowed from AMP Superseal connector with 6 positions (Digikey Partnumber A106530-ND). Any rubber band with decent tension is good enough to hold to top and bottom of the case in place.
To add reliable inductive charging to the case make sure to use Adafruits Universal Qi Wireless Receiver Module. The flex PCB might be cut off (1mm) on the left side in oder to fit the top-case. Connect the charging module to 'ALT PWR' on RileyLink side. Make sure to double check for ground and VCC. Any (cheap) QI certified charging basestation works fine to charge the battery. The red charging LED will turn off when the battery is fully charged.
The battery compartment can hold up to a 900mAh LiPo battery pack with a standard JST-PH connector (2mm pitch). Make sure there is enough space between the inductive charging module and the LiPo battery due to expansion while charging. Sucessfully tested with a LiPo battery 42mm x 34mm x 6mm.
Please make sure to test your case in a water condition before inserting the electronic components. Small pieces of paper added to the case compartments work fine to detect potential water leaks.