AudioMoth Vault v3 by brandonh

Last crawled date: 3 years ago

Protect and mount your AudioMoth (a full-spectrum acoustic datalogger) in style.
The AudioMoth Vault v3 is a highly-water-resistant case designed for field usage, which you can make with about $3 in materials, in under 3 hours, on any 3D printer. It provides a lower-cost alternative to the official waterproof case for the AudioMoth. With a little care in printing, it will pass an extended submersion test.
Compared to the v1 Vault, this one is easier to mount, vastly more water resistant, and has fewer parts that are much easier to source. At the desk, magnets are fun, but in the field, durability and mountability matter more.
Thanks to Bat Conservation International and other researchers, prototypes of the AudioMoth vault have been field-tested in the cloud forests of Nyungwe National Park in Rwanda, limestone forests in Jamaica, and near streams in Pennsylvania.
If you find this case useful, please post your Make, throw some love to BCI with a donation, and see what they’re up to lately. If you have comments, share them! I’d love to continue iterating the design based on feedback.
Features include:
Flexible mounting options: Use velcro straps, zip ties, webbing, or rope.
Water Resistance: The O-ring provides water resistance, is held in securely with a lip, and needs no glue. The bottom opening means that even if there is a constant drip above the audiomoth, no water should pool inside. An acoustic membrane keeps the water out, but lets the sound in.
Thumbscrew Closure: Instead of using plastic clips that will inevitably break, the Vault uses printed thumbscrews with easily-available hex bolts and nuts.
Parts you’ll need:
Acoustic membrane: 6mm ID, 10mm OD, adhesive backed. Alibaba link for IP67-rated membranes Specific Alibaba link (SV-021)
O-ring: 44mm ID, 48mm OD, 2mm width. Go for 70A hardness. 50A is a bit too soft. Purchase at a well-stocked Ace or Amazon:qty 10 qty 25 qty 50
Hex Bolts and Nuts: two each of 3”-long, hex-head 1/4-20 or 1/4-28 bolts plus matching nuts. With small tweaks, 70mm-long M6 bolts might be possible. Buy anywhere - Ace, Bolt Depot, Home Depot, etc.
Strap: Two large velcro ties work great to wrap around a tree, as does rope, zip ties, nylon webbing, or neoprene straps. There is one inch and ~3mm of reserved width between the bolts and the plastic body.
Grippy material(optional) Some adhesive-backed neoprene or even a glued rubber strip could help with getting a secure attachment to a tree.
If printed accurately, no finishing should be required, and assembly should take about 2 minutes. Assembly Instructions:
Press thumbscrews into hex heads.
Screw hex bolts through the hole. Yes, hand-threading is good; it holds these in when the case is upside-down.
Press nuts into the lid.
Add the O-ring. Press into one side while slightly stretching the material, then press into the other side. Then press all around so that it holds. You’ll get the hang of it quickly.
Assemble and tighten fully.
If you’re looking for a custom-logo version, reach out.
Note that you can make a little electrical tape “handle” to make it easier to pull out. The glue between the circuit board and battery case for an AudioMoth can vary in size, and for tight-fit ones, this tweak is helpful.
Printing Notes:
Print 2x thumbscrews, 1x lid, 1x body
Look in your Slicer’s 3d view at the main body section and try to get the extrusion width to be consistent for all perimeters, for the best quality.
Align the seam to the back for best aesthetics.
You can also slightly over-extrude when printing, to reduce the chance of any water intrusion outside of the O-ring.
Something temperature-resistant like PETG or ABS is preferred but PLA will probably work too.
Use 0.2mm layers, 5 perims at 0.5 width with 0% or low (<25%) infill for the main body, plus 5 top and 5 bottom layers so the lid is solid. Concentric top infill for the body part is recommended to give a smooth surface for the o-ring, to increase water resistance.
.1mm gap is designed-in for hex heads and nuts, which is a tad sloppy, but should reduce the need for an accurate printer. If the holes are a bit tight, a ¼” bit should open them up.
Can’t find the parts?
The screws & nuts aren’t truly necessary, as a clip in the plastic body holds the lid in.
The O-ring isn’t truly necessary, but is recommended.
Again - if you have comments, share them! I’d love to continue iterating the design based on feedback.