Easy way to create a protective silicone layer on a solar light.
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- čas přidán 22. 08. 2024
- This is the result of further experimentation with using clear silicone sealant as a protective layer on the solar cells of garden lights to try and prevent water ingress without attenuating the amount of light reaching them.
It seems to work well. You clean the top of the light and apply a blob of silicone in the middle of the solar panel, then put a piece of polythene on top. Using the polythene as a barrier you can squish and spread the silicone into a thick but even layer that seals the top of the light completely. Once the silicone has had some time to start curing (overnight) the polythene film will peel off allowing the curing to complete.
The polythene I used was from clear component bags. It's a very slippery plastic that the silicone does not readily bond to, so it peels off easily. I also noticed that if you apply a blob of silicone onto polythene and then place another piece on top you can create a thick sheet of silicone by using a flat object to press down on it, with some coins as a depth stop on all sides if you need an even thickness.
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See you in 6 months for the followup...
RaelenThePedobear666 Ruined
2 different coefficient of expansion rates, they will just expand and contract apart, and eventually leak. I would use a rubber gasket with pressure using a frame screwed in.
wavefront101 or just use the silicone has a gasket.. but you need to remove the solar panel for that
after a year, ti looks good, video is up now.
@@foorje Here is the URL: czcams.com/video/czfa0S5uwcI/video.html
Watch your back Clive, the garden light designed-obsolescence syndicate will become very interested in you if this works.
I can't even get past the first rain with them anymore and for the ones that past that the damn things die in 2 months or maximum 3.
The Best Stooge They vary hugely, I've had ones that only last a few months to some that just go on year after year on the original batteries!
Sue thing Wim Widdershins - word gets out, will ruin the capital plan of their business scam.
Clive, to make the silicone all one level, you could gently press the solar panel / silicone / polythene down onto a flat surface.
Maxx B Everyone likes it quick and dirty, just stick it in,
Or just hold one corner of the plastic film and slide the edge of a credit card across it.
So you can see what you're doing put either a small piece of glass or acrylic sheet on top of the polythene sheet.
They say,, necessity is the mother of invention, ,, ...
Clive must be the father...
Keep up the good work.
I found if you cut the bottom of small plastic bottles then hot melt them to the top, like a small umbrella, it works well.
I've used vaseline to stop silicone sticking to a surface, so you could do the same as you did, but can use anything (coated in vaseline) to spread the silicone if you don't have those bags
Returning home from Parents home in Arizona, bringing back several garden lights that need new solar panels. Completely burned up. I'll be trying your fix Clive! Great video as always!
Awesome! :)
I've used polythene bags (polyethylene is the spelling that I'm used to) as a form and glue-up surface for silicone, polyvinyl acetate, cyanoacrylate and a few other things.
Great to see LED's back on the menu Clive. At the end of 2016 I cleaned 6 garden solar lights and covered them with clingfilm held down with an elastic band around the light. So far they are all working. I did fit better batteries (AA) when I was given them defunct Spring 2016. The silicone looks much tidier. A quick flash over with a lint free cloth and cellulose thinners would clean and soften the plastic, might stick better. Glass fish tank sillicone is very good kit - but expensive.
It might be interesting to see if you could source some type of clear plastic dome to glue completely over the solar cell ,perhaps like the old fashioned bulls eye lamp perhaps the sun could get to the cell from different angles rather than the angle it gets to it 'naturally' perhaps even intensifying the light?
Nice solution. I didnt think it would be SO clear.
Most of the clear silicones that I’ve used have gone milky over time. I wonder if that layer is thin enough for that to not be a problem?
Time will tell, they're out in the garden now.
I used the poundland epoxy resin , just let a blob run into the solar panel and pool around edges ....very clean finish .
How did they hold up?
I guess we'll never know 🤷🏻😅
@@redblaze2613 oh the lights failed - filled with rainwater / rusted . I don’t buy garden lights anymore
@@carlyonbay45 Thanks for the reply! Having exactly the same problem.....thinkin of givin them up maself :/ Scotland is havin an awful summer this year, nothing s safe.
@@redblaze2613 well evey time I’m in the garden centre I look the lights - I get tempted - but they are a disposable product - I think one season is all they were designed for . How they leak is a mystery 🤷🏻♂️ I’ve tried sealants / silicone / wrapping in plastic - even putting large jam jars over them …. They STILL get wet again 😳 and batteries fail in cold icy weather , the cold temps are another problem
I waterproof mine by keeping them inside the conservatory. ;-)
I used the tape method and it works just fine, this new idea is clever indeed. Thanks Clive!
Clive i have often stuffed an open clip bag over the solar lump. Cling film may cause capillary action to bring the water up and into problem areas, but a loose poly bag doesnt.
My dad was complaining recently about his garden lights not working, and so I told him about your method of taping over the solar panel. I'll pass on your experiment with the silicone so maybe he'll give that a try too; see what has a better result over the course of the summer.
The 'old fashioned' MR16 12 volt style halogen lamps usually have a glass lens that looks about the perfect size. Combined with silicon around the perimeter it might be an even better option.
Kirk Claybrook seems I'm not the only one with that idea. I've done that for a single solar light a few weeks ago. So far, it seems like the best solution.
Good, Better, BEST, you go!
Acrylic conformal coating! You inspired me and I am giving this a go. Dried quick and looks beautiful. Let’s see if it lasts outside in Australia. I will report. These are on the much better lithium solar lights (Duracell are my Shenzhen branded version) they are still working after almost two years but are getting a bit hazy . The conformal coating makes them look clear and glossy again but am yet to see if it will last)
Did it work?
I used the protective film for car headlights off ebay on my Poundland solar lights and 1 year on they are still okay. The tiny batteries have failed in some but are easily replaced with a rechargeable aaa battery
Did you try peeling off the silicone once cured? If it comes off easily, it might not last in the trees.
Ive done the same this year , as my partner has over 50 DAMN LIGHTS in the back yard, but I found that the silicone gets cloudy, and obscures the light getting to them. It may just be the brand that I use G.E., but at least its easy to peel off, and try another brand this year.
I spend a considerable amount of time every spring replacing batteries, battery connectors, and replacing electronics from gutted cheapo Dollar Store units.
If this works for you I shall have to try it on my lights out back. the last ones are almost three years old and still going fairly well but if i could get six years out of them, even better. Thanks for making another great video!
PVA Glue is surprisingly waterproof once dry. It can be squirted around the edge of the cell to seal without covering the whole thing. It works and lasts until the cell frosts over.
Top tip: Blu-tac is quite an effective degreaser for things like this. I discovered this watchmakers use something called Rodico Putty for degreasing. It's basically the same stuff as Blu-tac. I also find Blu-tac to be a great aid in tinkering, as you can stick components and/or wires to your desk whilst you work on them.
Peetiegonzalez Why? You just use isopropyl alcohol for degreasing. Watchmakers? This is like 1 £ solar light
Grzegorz Szymański it’s just an alternative. I happen to have blu-Tac handy for many uses so I don’t need to go out and buy the alcohol. Degreasing is a very effective use that many don’t know about unless they’re familiar with watchmakers rodico putty so I thought I’d mention it.
Peetiegonzalez I think more people have isopropyl alcohol than blu tac handy. Not to mention that alcohol is a better degreaser.
Grzegorz Szymański maybe where you’re from but in the UK everyone has blue Tac handy for many uses. Anyway just an alternative. Use the tools you have!
Personally I only hang my Christmas cards with Isopropyl alcohol......... ;)
I have more data than I'm willing to type on the matter, but for your information, you can thin silicone compounds effectively with naphtha. The pro tips: Put the naphtha in the cup first, use at least 1:1 to even notice thinning, when you're mixing act like all of western civilization will fall if you don't mix it enough else get chunks. So far Ive made gaskets, diaphragms, replacement HT coating for the PVC sleeves on my lab glass holders, several of those little non slide phone pads, HT conformal coatings for electronics that encapsulate everything but leave the fins of the heatsink exposed and still confer excellent water resistance (some light baking may be needed to drive off the amount of naphtha needed to thin to conformal viscosities, and even mixing at these viscosities must be done with some form of power tool with care taken not to introduce tiny bubbles), I think you can probably handle the rest of the experimentation. Just thought you might appreciate knowing this is possible if you don't already. Also, I have an interesting type of card stock that is capable of both not sticking to curing silicone and also allowing it to readily breath and off gas the solvents. I acquired and discovered its use by coincidence but I'll try to droll up the name of the stock because its great for allowing thick, hearty sheets to cure quickly and evenly.
After experimenting a lot with different silicones that can be bought right from the store shelf, i have determined that the "Ceresit CS 16" is the best easily available clear silicone for electronic use. No acid, the smell is very light (almost notexistent), cures rather quickly, and does not seem to kill white LEDs that have been coated with it. (The usual "neutral" silicone makes them die very quickly.) Unfortunately, i do not know if it is available in the UK or USA.
Ive been using that 3M Clear waterproof tape and have had good success. Last year Lidl were doing that tape for like £1 a roll, so i got 2. So far our cheapo lights have lasted well.
Clean it with carb cleaner, it will eliminate any grease and allow silicone to stick to it. Before paining anything, use carb cleaner to clean the surface.
Might melt the plastic, depending on the brand
Clive just use Vaseline press around the edges you use it already to keep water out of conecters :)
Similar to applying CPU/Heatsink compound.
Glop it in the middle, add poly, turn it upside down and press it gently down on a piece of glass, mirror, etc.
Let the pressure squeeze it out from the center to the sides, although unlike TIM, probably not as many bubbles in silicone.
Works surprisingly well, I would have gone with a round piece of glass and a silicone/o-ring attempt.
I have two types of solar garden lights - the ones with glass over the solar panel and the ones with resin. The resin ones are shit. The resin rots quite fast under the hot Australian sun. And they seem to be affected by rain as well. The glass ones, on the other hand, are still fine. They have other issues, of course, but the glass seems to be a lot better.
To be honest this a good application for a small piece of glass adhered with a transparent polymer. You can also use clear encasing epoxy but it has to be UV stable stuff. A lot of the cheap Chinese ones aren't.
At last something I can try. Great tip.
Great cam quality.. great idea clive. Despite the battery fail.
The wires used for the internal wiring of those cheap solar lights are usually made of steel and thus rust easily. Swapping them out for some copper wires would make the solar light last longer even when the moisture gets in.
Heh, I bought about 500 of those little bags to store resistors and things in.. one bag that held the bags split and in still finding random bags under things.
Ollie B For anything one wishes to reliably store over time one wants to chose either 1 or 2 mil (0.025/0.05mm) thickness bags as the cheap 0.5 mil (0.0125mm) bags are very weak and tear or split easily. I use thousands of them to organize everything from smaller through-hole components (resistors, diodes, transistors, etc.) to surface mount components (where I may have hundreds of values in each package size and component class) -- basically any smaller component where I need to have a wide selection as the bags allow me to keep anywhere from a dozen (larger bag sizes like 2"x3") to a few dozen values (small 1-1/2"X11-1/2" bags) per organizer drawer.
Ethan Poole oh yah I got some good ones, not like the ones that come holding kits from China 🙃😁
What I didn't realise was that the big bag that held 100 little bags for some reason opens at both ends, hence spillage! 😂
silicone that is not physicaly compresed between something will just end up pealing off.
you should have removed the solar panel to be able to place silicone between the solar panel and the case.
But if you want a good weather proof just dip the whole thing in clear resin.
I just run a fine bead of silicone between the edge of the solar panel and fixing body its mounted to, to ensure a waterproof seal. Another way is use a heat gun to soften the hot glue they bond the solar panel in with, then remove the panel and get rid of the hot glue and fix the solar panel back in with copious amounts of silicone underneath to ensure a waterproof seal.
HEY BIG CLIVE! If that idea doesn't work out, run a thin bead of the silicone glue around the outside edge of the cell, and glue the plastic sheet over the cell. You could use celluloid as well. Then if damaged, just replace the plastic sheet. I was going to suggest vacuum forming plastic sheeting over the entire unit, but that might take a bit of time. That would permanently solve the issue, though.
Rather than go to that much effort lol!
I have found clear book covering has the same effect with a little bit of normal packing tape around the edges! Or simply wrap the solar panel with cellophane making a bubble & tye an elastic band on the bottom! This obviously saves any rain/moisture from any rust/damage! They also look fantabulous looking like little bubble lollipops! IDK why people like to make things so complicated, when they can be beautifully simple!
You can also get outdoor UV resistant clear tape for repairing greenhouses and cloches.
I also found another source of water ingress on these is the joint between the two halves of the silver cap so a small smear of the silicone would help there
For UK people, Poundworld is closing, and they have garden lights similar to this (currently) at 20% off. I leave it to the reader to work out the price. In true engineer tradition, I modded it by putting an aluminium foil cone inside the main body of the lamp, to disperse the light sideways instead of just shining the LED at a black plastic base, which didn't seem optimal really.
Silicone rubber with vinegary smell used to be guaranteed for 10 years, and was sold to seal things such as baths, basins and showers that moved. In theory the lamps should be water proofed for 10 years.
Every time you said polythene The Beatles started playing in my head.
Why not just conformal coat everything? Silicone conformal coat spray is relatively cheap on Amazon, and there's acrylic, polyurethane, and epoxy variants as well. Open the thing up and coat the electronics, close it again and coat the whole thing just to be sure. I'd love to see if that affects performance and just how durable that sort of thing is.
RTV silicone goes opaque over time. Probably better to use clear 5-minute epoxy. Mix some up on a flat surface, rub the top of the light/panel in it, and immediately flip it right-side up. The epoxy will self-level before it "kicks" and cures. And it stays clear for years.
Nice Blue Peter reference.
*spoiler alert* the silicon will shrink. you need something that holds the silicon in place. my suggestion: acrylic sheet with a couple of screws to keep preasure on the silicone. that should last forever (or until the acrylic cracks).
Nice video! Neutral silicone is better around electronics
I agree. Especially when using to seal an enclosure where the acid vapour will get trapped.
What about something that doesn’t harden? Like dielectric grease? It’s dirt cheap and you could pack it all around the solar panel and it won’t harden or expand/contract during weather changes. Obviously you wouldn’t leave big gobs of it on top of the solar panel. Just wipe it on and smash it into the cracks and then wipe it off. Just a thought
I've done this exact same thing, works like a charm!
I just use the cheapest of clear packaging tape and it helped the lights I do have survive the snow earlier this year
Holding a pile of those polythene bags is like holding water.
Looks promising. I'm curious to know how long the silicon will stick to the surface.
The silicon seemed to not have adhered well to the cell at the end there.
With the torture the older cells have evidently endured, I'd guess the silicon will peel/rub off fairly quickly. Perhaps leave the plastic cover on, with maybe a ziptie to hold it in place, and see if it fares better?
Have you tried using a transparent varnish, too?
I wonder if you could use LOCA (Liquid Optically Clear Adhesive) used to bind display components and such. As far as I know that doesn't go cloudy over time and I guess it should be waterproof?
Did you try a clear nail varnish as it will also seal all the small crevices water can penetrate?
Clive may have only had lurid pink nail varnish.
Well thats no good it filters out infra red :D
Could you thin the silicone, invert the light and pot the lot?
Wow, i am impressed with that, nice one.The number of them that i have thrown out over the last couple of years because of that :(
Clear lacquer perhaps, industrial strength of course?
Just an idea.
Eryk Johansson Why not just seal ingress points instead of whole thing? Clear silicone for outside use should be enough. I don't why would you do so much for a really cheap light. Just seal around solar panel.
Grzegorz Szymański Dzień dobry, I would never purchase a light of that kind and waste time on it on top of it.
I just figured it would be quicker and easier to apply a coat of clear lacquer instead of fiddling with plastic bags, silicon and cutting 😊
Eryk Johansson Dzień dobry :) Lacquer would probably seep into the light, I had one some time ago and it had pretty large gaps. Yeah, they aren't sustainable, so I don't buy them either. They are one of the most wasteful products ever. Nobody bothers to seal them, even manufacturers so people replace them every year or two. I don't think anyone bothers with disposing of them properly :/
> Just seal around solar panel.
I think part of the reason for this method is to make the top of the bulb flat instead of concave. As long as the panel is recessed, water (possibly dirty water, dripping from the tree) will tend to pool over the panel. By filling it with silicone, the top becomes flatter and you get less pooling.
Plus you get pumping from thermal expansion
Clive, following your video last year in regard to protecting these solar panels, I went and used the Gorilla Clear Repair tape as I was n’t able to source what you recommended. Over, 20 lights later which have been left out all year, no sign of wear or water egress. Other than a couple of the Poundland lights that have failed for other reasons all the others are still working as well as they did a year ago. All I have had to do is give them a wipe over. Pat Moore
Interesting approach
Thanks for sharing 😀👍
I don't think you need to scratch the surface when using silicone. It sticks the best to glass & ceramic tiles and they're smooth.
probably won't read this but I used that clear protective spray that is UV blocking, (just the more degrading end of UV) and it peels off like a plastic stretching film
I've not come across that.
Speaking of weather damage, perhaps one day if you haven't already, you might want to look into a possible solutions for what the sun and rain does to the plastic or resin coated solar cells. I have a few that have gone from crystal clear to completely white. I have sanded/polished a few and brought them back to clear, but it seems to be only a temporary fix as the material, over time, eventually oxidizes right back to white. It's completely annoying.
The resin covered ones do that. You're right, it is very annoying.
It is my understanding that there are some UV resistant films (it may even be in the form of a penetrating plasticizer) that exist to be sprayed onto new plastic headlight lenses to protect them and keep them clear indefinitely, but they do apparently require annual reapplication to preserve those properties. If I recall, one made by Maguire's (sp?) was recommended for headlights. Perhaps that might also help with your panels? Unlike some films used it apparently will not bubble or peel over time as it was designed specifically for automobile headlights and lenses.
Ethan Poole
Hey! Thanks for the tip. I will certainly have to look into that. I was considering experimenting with exterior urethane or possibly even marine varnish but I will add your suggestions to the list as well. =)
It would be nice to see if the current output is the same after the silicone cured.
My only concern is that the "Chrome" coating on the plastic will at some point corrode and that will allow the moisture to get between the plastic housing and the silicon. If it was directly applied to the plastic housing (no chrome coating) then there would be nothing between the silicon and the plastic housing.
Mikey8567
The plating is actually vacuum deposited aluminium. They use the same method to coat plastic bathroom fixtures and fittings with a shiny metal finish, so I doubt that's likely to be a problem.
Those 'Light bulb' solar lights are notorious for filling up with rain water!
You can drill or melt a hole in the base of the plastic globe version. It makes a huge difference.
Hey BigClive, I have a suggestion for a teardown if you can get one: a cardiac pacemaker. Interesting device. They use 2.8 volt lithium iodine batteries with a lifetime of 10 years, rated at 2 Ah, which is hard to believe since they weigh only 15 grams.
Shepherd 9965 pads are adhesive or amazon "Acrylic Plastic Discs" and silcone those on
Please note silicone in general is not 100% air and water tight, it will let some gases and moisture permeate in due course. But indeed it retards the speed of this a lot, increasing shelf life of your solar cell.
Thanks anyway for nice quick fix idea.
I used a smear of clear silicone. Little messy but worked
Just thinking along the solar lights theme and indeed, all your other solar and battery light videos... could you either replace the solar panel or augment it with a small wind turbine to charge the batteries? The sort of small cheap ones on Ebay that can be had for a few quid. This could be really useful for places that don't really get enough sun to make the light last all night. I would have thoughts a wind powered garden light would be ideal for the Isle of Man... :)
Maybe a project for a future vid perhaps?
Clive have you done any investigating of the QX5252 solar light chips? They are pretty amazing and worthy of your attention. Thanks, Great videos as usual.
Or YX8018 ... I think it is the same as the 4-pin version of QX5252. These are super simple. All you need is a small inductor with which you can choose your output current. Typically 100 - 150 uH. They also disable output when there is solar input detected.
i have several,one is connected to a 1.2V NiCad ,a 20mmx20mm solar cell at about 2.5 volts from a "pound" solar light driving 8 leds. The solar only pushes 20 mA. another one pushes 7 leds with the same 1.2V Nicad with a 5 volt 300mA solar cell. They seem to take a wide range of inputs/outputs. Both these setups have been running dawn to dusk for weeks now and don't appear to have any problems at all. Thanks for the reply. A.
I would use the dow cornings subsea salt resistant one i think the number is 736 but not sure. As i live in montrose on the coast. Love your videos keep up the good work.😀 As i work with polyurethane moulding i would probably use clear PU mix.😁
I would probably cut the clear film to size and tape around the edges, so if the tape does go bad the solar panel would be unaffected.
I previously tried using clear (exterior, UV resistant) silicone but stores only sell the silicone in big caulking tubes, and the silicone dries out in the tube if you don't use them quickly. It seems like a waste if I have to buy a tube of expensive exterior silicone every time I buy a solar light, usually when it's on discount.
Shorting out the DMM of a fused one always runs the risk of blowing the fuse. As others have pointed out here the silicon goes cloudy when exposed to UV.
It would be my recomendation to use Gutter sealant, its a non acetic acid curing version and it wont attack metal like copy etc. I have found it sticks to glass etc like stuff babies generate to a blanket
neat idea i think ill try with one of my solar lights
Nice - wonder if it would work with hot glue if you were too lazy to wait for the silicone to cure. Also reminds me of another video where a guy uses cling film and silicone to make these really cool mushroom LED lights
Could try hot-melt adhesive onto silicon rubber sheet, would be done in a minute.
I've blue crackle-glass ball thing by the front door that I got from Poundland (replaced the white LED with blue so it's nicely blue-blue!) and so far it's not really leaked, I'm sure it's damp inside though but oh well... :)
Hope your method works Clive! I've bought tons of these in the past and water ingress has killed em all. Silicone works for a while but ends up shrinking and letting water in, at least in my experience. Sadly 99.9% of these cheapo solar lights, and even the more expensive ones, end up as landfill. Eco friendly my arse! Shame really as people buy them with good intentions, only to end up having to bin them in a matter of weeks. Hey, here's a thought. If you had a thin solar panel with battery, cobs etc. soldered on the back of it then vacuum bag sealed it?? That WOULD be truly waterproof. After a few months if the bag gets misty due to uv, ye could always just replace it. If only I had a vacuum sealer to test my theory...
Ziploc bag and small desiccant pouch?
I have done similar with my garden lights but to avoid covering the solar panel I just put a bead round the edge there the panel meets the housing. None have died yet almost 2 years on.
I do need to try this...
I have brought loads of solor lights and very few last... Always get filled with water and corode.
Silicone encapsulated silicon! Cool. What about a oil like tung or teak ?
Those are not really film forming compounds, they work in wood by soaking into the wood fibers over time with repeated applications with the residual oil helping to exclude moisture to prevent moisture penetration (though surface damage is still possible as it tends to become depleted over time). Periodically they must also be reapplied as they are not a permanent protection since they do not form an effective film and oil both slowly evaporates and gets damaged/removed from use and the act of cleaning the surface (such as wiping down a table) -- they are much like mineral oil. Given that both the solar cell and steel are impermeable surfaces there is nothing to trap the oil and nothing for the oil to soak into.
Nail varnish (lacquer) around the edges where panel touches the plastic frame
Oh yes, and another thing... Plastic model kit makers use Johnsons / Klear / Pledge multi surface polish. It is basically a cheap transparent varnish and is remarkably resilient. Just pour some in a plastic cup or whatever and dip the top of the light / panel in. It should make its way into all the crevices (I said crevices hehehehe) for a waterproof finish. I *think* Sainsburys and Tesco sell it at about £3 for a 750ml bottle.
Not so sure about this Clive. Maybe a UV resistant silicone is required? My experience of clear is that UV will take its toll and lose adhesion not to mention allowing dust to adhere to the surface. I'd have been tempted to silicone a thin piece of glass to the outside and leave it at that. Also, the acid from the silicone may seep between cell and the plated case and corrode a bit.
It's experimental. I've got the first units outside to try it out.
You may have to explain "Blue Peter style" to non-UK viewers Clive!
Ray Gannon I'm going to guess this could be "Norm Abram" in the U.S. .. a now older woodworking series in which two of everything were built -- one to proof the concept and work out any kinks pre-show and show the finished product at the start of the show...and the second you followed along as it was constructed in the course of the show. Also, many cooking shows will have two of everything to cut out the baking time. But that is just a guess as to what the term means as "Blue Peter" has no, at least widely, known association in North America.
Sort of. Blue Peter is a weekly children's television magazine show that's been running on the BBC for many decades. Each week they would show the viewers how to make something, usually from household items (famously, washing-up liquid bottles and sticky-backed plastic (No brand names, as it's the BBC!)) which would, due to time constraints, require them to partly make the item then produce a fully completed version with the strap line "Here's one I made earlier." They would also often be found saying "I've used double-sided tape for speed."
I know of Norm on this side of the pond from the This Old House and New Yankee Workshop shows. Love the way he'll nail into end grain where appropriate and when not craft by hand in exquisite detail - or with all his shop tools for jobs in between. Don't forget your safety glasses ;o)
Urethane (Aquaseal) would be more durable and have better optical clearity after curing. It also flows well in room temperature and should create a more even surface.
Cling film will do a better job, it can be pulled tight so there's no surface ripples.
I've seen what happens with silicone in showers not sure of this one, Once the silicone fails it will keep the area moist not long for this world then.
Have you tried using surgical tape for this application because it sticks like wotsit too a blanket and it’s waterproof and it’s almost impossible to break it away from whatever your sticking it to Clive? You should be able too buy a roll or a box of rolls from your local Pharmacy. 😎
The main issue is the high UV in sunlight that seems to degrade stuff quickly.
Is this "acid" sealant degrade the solar panel over time? It's a good technique to not get on you'r fingers.
Good ol' polythene and silicun. You can see Clive's house from space, he's got so many of these dollar peered lights. He's single handedly keeping the Chinese manufacturers of shitty electronics afloat.
and dont forget to bypass that crappy power switch if they still have them
Splodge it and scarper! Best method going!
Mine have a lot of water in them. Does water not get in through the holes the hanger goes in?
i wonder if you could mould the silicone in a semi-spherical shape, so that it acts like a lens