Weather Station / Project case for Solar Panel 110 x 136 mm by Zapdos

Last crawled date: 3 years, 1 month ago

This enclosure is for an electronics project using a 110 mm x 136 mm solar panel. For example, a basic WIFI weather station that measures temperature, humidity and perhaps pressure.
The enclosure has three parts:

one main body, featuring a hole for an antenna, two mounting holes, and ventilation slats along the bottom and back. The body is designed to be mounted outside on a fence post.

two small frames (explained directly below)
To help keep nature (bugs etc.) out, the enclosure is designed to house a small piece of wire screen meshing - the kind commonly found in screen doors and windows - over the ventilation slats. The meshing is cut to outside measurements of 17.5 cm x 11.7 cm and rests on the inside bottom and back of the main body. Additional cuts are made to let the mounting screw heads pass through (see photo). The frames are inserted on top of the meshing to hold it in place.
The solar panel is held in the unit by gravity and friction. It can be pressed in and later pushed out if needed. To push it out, firmly, slowly, and carefully push the eraser end of a wooden pencil, thru the screw holes in the back of the unit and against the back of the solar plate.
As the unit will be mounted outside PTEG is preferred over PLA. Also. a more reflective coloured filament would be preferred so as not to generate heat within the enclosure.
Included in the downloadable files is the .stl file as well as the Fusion 360 .f3d file used to create the model.
Hope this will be of use to you.