Hello Folks!

I did read some about the new embedded antenna RBSXT-5D.

We have also some here, tested in LAB with GREAT success, we like them all over!
It is small, neat and easy to setup, and FAST exactly like we want them!

But we have concerns about the encapsulation of the device!

We are situated in Sweden, we have rain, snow, hail and sun, also it blows hard 25m/s storms with snow/rain and hails in, several times per year. Weather does not all the times comes from above, here it comes as often sideways.

All outdoor gears here have to be IP65 at least to survive more than one suny summer!

I am in doubt that the new design will last very long in our environment.

There is several holes in the container, one for the cable and several others, also the small "door" that you open when connecting the TP cable is not weather tight.

Is the circuit board covered with water insulating spray so it can survive humidity building up, and water drips that can find its way inside the box ?

I can see bare metal in box, the USB connector, will it rust maby ?

As it is now, we have to use silicone to make it IP65.

We are about to exchange 25 RIC522C with them, but has stopped the plans due to our concerns about weather resistant encapsulation.

Comments on this please!

That isn't first design by RB and as it intended to be used outdoors then it is safe to assume as being weatherproof. If it will fail then RMA it.

That isn't first design by RB and as it intended to be used outdoors then it is safe to assume as being weatherproof. If it will fail then RMA it.

Yeah, but if you see MT waranty info:
"MikroTikls SIA warrants all RouterBOARD series equipment for the term of one year from the shipping date to be
free of defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service, except in case of damage caused by
mechanical, electrical or other accidental or intended damages caused by improper use or due to wind, rain, fire or other
acts of nature."

So its not so easy to decide.
I got this thing in my hand in a cup of days, and my first idea was that its small. The second, that its not waterproof at all.
I hope the next generation will be.

That isn't first design by RB and as it intended to be used outdoors then it is safe to assume as being weatherproof. If it will fail then RMA it.

Yeah, but if you see MT waranty info:
"MikroTikls SIA warrants all RouterBOARD series equipment for the term of one year from the shipping date to be
free of defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service, except in case of damage caused by
mechanical, electrical or other accidental or intended damages caused by improper use or due to wind, rain, fire or other
acts of nature."

So its not so easy to decide.
I got this thing in my hand in a cup of days, and my first idea was that its small. The second, that its not waterproof at all.
I hope the next generation will be.

Does any paper/document state outdoor use of these devices?
If MT/RB is not answering directly to that concern then go and ask your MT dealer. My MT dealer even does not offer those devices, and I can not ask about the nature of it.

Hello Folks!

I did read some about the new embedded antenna RBSXT-5D.

We have also some here, tested in LAB with GREAT success, we like them all over!
It is small, neat and easy to setup, and FAST exactly like we want them!

But we have concerns about the encapsulation of the device!

We are situated in Sweden, we have rain, snow, hail and sun, also it blows hard 25m/s storms with snow/rain and hails in, several times per year. Weather does not all the times comes from above, here it comes as often sideways.

All outdoor gears here have to be IP65 at least to survive more than one suny summer!

I am in doubt that the new design will last very long in our environment.

There is several holes in the container, one for the cable and several others, also the small "door" that you open when connecting the TP cable is not weather tight.

Is the circuit board covered with water insulating spray so it can survive humidity building up, and water drips that can find its way inside the box ?

I can see bare metal in box, the USB connector, will it rust maby ?

As it is now, we have to use silicone to make it IP65.

We are about to exchange 25 RIC522C with them, but has stopped the plans due to our concerns about weather resistant encapsulation.

Comments on this please!

While the SXT is not IP65, it should be serviceable in outdoor weather environments. As with all outdoor radio equipment, only time will tell.

I don't believe that Sweden has unique weather. We have similar weather patterns in our part of the USA. We have been operating Motorola Canopy radios without problems for at least 5 years and they have a similar design.

The thinking in this type of case design is to resist the ingress of water but then allow any to drain out the bottom holes. The board stays dry and the water drains out.

Over the past 11 years, I have seen too many hermetically sealed radios end up with water damage because there was no drain hole.

You really don't need IP65 unless you are operating underwater and microwaves don't travel too well in that environment.

Tom

Okey, only time can say

We will give it a try, the device is not expensive, so we plan to have two at every customer anyway for redundancy.
Will also mount them with a small cap protecting them little, like LNB's in parabolic antennas.

The RIC522C has never failed us ever, neither the RITTAL boxes for basestations and some AL made MT box for basestations, were very successful.

Yes, I have open IP65 boxes door's 30 meters up in outside ladder mast's and recieved 10 liters icy water all over me and instruments a couple of times.

We have however bad experience of various antenna amplifier and split boxes with similar design as the SXT 5D, open in botton where cables goes in, and some flip up door for accessing the devices without any rubber sealings or similar.

Thanks all!

You will find this line in any warranty guide for any kind of product. Of course you can use SXT outdoors, it's the intended way to use it. The quoted line only applies for improper use, like if you try to put it under water, or if a hurricane tears it apart. Of course if the SXT is mounted according to the manual, and if rain still gets inside and manages to damage the board - RMA will cover the repairs!

You will find this line in any warranty guide for any kind of product. Of course you can use SXT outdoors, it's the intended way to use it. The quoted line only applies for improper use, like if you try to put it under water, or if a hurricane tears it apart. Of course if the SXT is mounted according to the manual, and if rain still gets inside and manages to damage the board - RMA will cover the repairs!

Sounds trustful!

So far we did never have to return any MT device on warrancy, they have survived yearly summer thunderstorms, "gudrun" and "pär" (hughe storms in Sweden).

Ok, I will not try it under water

We did now mount the first batch at clients, lets see how it work, so far, all MT products has been just great for our business!

You will find this line in any warranty guide for any kind of product. Of course you can use SXT outdoors, it's the intended way to use it. The quoted line only applies for improper use, like if you try to put it under water, or if a hurricane tears it apart. Of course if the SXT is mounted according to the manual, and if rain still gets inside and manages to damage the board - RMA will cover the repairs!

Normis, Mikrotik would accept that the SXT design is not waterproof at all, if you spect some RMA, that confirms it.

The drain or breathing holes are for condensation purpose, not for draining water of a rain. There should not be any rain water inside the enclosure.

If water comes inside the box, the damage is inminent.

The RMA covers the product, but not cover the problem that it produces, technician times, etc.

This design is not the best thing that Mikrotik has created.

I don't understand what you mean. Rain doesn't get inside the box. The holes are for breathing, so condensate doesn't form in some specific climate conditions. We actually don't get many RMA requests due to water damage. Are you sure you are mounting them correctly?

We have a point to point link here on the office roof, it's around 5KM. It consists of two SXTs, it's been there over a year. It withstood many storms, months of rain, and -25C freezing winter. Latvian weather is very very harsh, and the SXT still works fine.

I don't understand what you mean. Rain doesn't get inside the box. The holes are for breathing, so condensate doesn't form in some specific climate conditions. We actually don't get many RMA requests due to water damage. Are you sure you are mounting them correctly?

We have a point to point link here on the office roof, it's around 5KM. It consists of two SXTs, it's been there over a year. It withstood many storms, months of rain, and -25C freezing winter. Latvian weather is very very harsh, and the SXT still works fine.

I don´t speak for any particular fact, I mean that we have experience of thousands CPE and infrastructure equipment installed,
(some Mk boards installed many years ago), and we know what are the things that affect the boards, and take care to make
the enclosure waterproof as good as possible, and a SIDE door for the utp connection is not the better to make it possible.

When any enclosure is correctly installed, and in good waterproof conditions, when you open it, about several months later,
all metallic parts, keep it original shine, and if the water pass through inside box, all inside the box it´s opaque.

If you don´t have problem with 2 equipments on a particular circumstance, is not a rule,
to say that it´s no problem with the waterproof design.

Look at the pictures, to see, if the light comes out from inside the box, the water comes in.
(this is the SIDE hole for UTP that comes sealed, but not waterproof)
In the original version it comes without the central bottom 4mm hole, and the rest of holes are sufficient for breathing,
it have more holes than a strainer. If you need to add an additional hole, it´s for draining purpose.

As you say on your post on "Routerboard SXT 5HnD" in the last Jan 26.
"We have found that our initial pre-production test run batch of the new SXT device can accumulate humidity
in extreme weather conditions, if mounted in certain angles. This does not affect all devices,
but to help solve this issue, we have instructed our distributors to make an additional ventilation hole at the bottom of the case.
If you think that you SXT device could be affected, please contact the seller for further information."

"Humidity" means water, "certain angles" means vertically (the only way that original bracket allow) lightly tilt downside.
"Additional ventilation hole at the bottom", means additional draining hole for aggregate water if you lightly tilt downside.
Most people here are expertised technician, not chefs.

It´s only our suggestion to make it better. And reading here, too many people think as us.

Thank´s.
Diego.

Here in Northern Norway we recently had a storm with heavy rain and snow. Ive considered using tape to patch the lid on the side, but I dont think is was necessary after looking inside the SXT...

"For normal outdoor environment usage". What does that mean? There are many circumstances considered normal 'outdoor environment' where the SXT (and the grooves!) don't stand a change in resisting the climate.

Any unit having vent holes is vulnerable for water ingress. You don't need a lot of wind and rain for that, just some rain and the wind under the right angle. Some draft in the box might be created where even the lowest drain hole might become a sucking-in hole due the venturi effect. This means the only resisting unit is a 100% sealed one.
I am from a nautical background and the only electronic units that survive the climate at sea/a ship are 200% sealed devices. So two layers of water barriers because one of the two might fail.

The SXT probably will see corrosion of its metal parts in coastal areas where the wind of the sea carries salt particles that will set on the metal parts and because salt is also hygroscopic it will automatically start to attract water. Its just a matter of time these units will start to fail...... first sign of it will be the Ethernet port starting to play up!

To prevent condensation in completely sealed units these should be fit together in a dry and cold environment. The dryer, the better, the colder the better. (Cold air contains less water and the change the temperature drops even further to have even the last water molecules condensate becomes smaller. Absolute no water containing air is almost impossible. As it is to create the absolute vacuum, which than also will have no more water molecules.)

Good idea is to add a little bag of silica-gel that often is supplied with electronic equipments in their shipping package.
Actually providers of sealed boxes should supply such, it cost 1 cents per box...

Here in Northern Norway we recently had a storm with heavy rain and snow. Ive considered using tape to patch the lid on the side, but I dont think is was necessary after looking inside the SXT...

Intrepid, why do you think it´s not necessary looking inside ? for the several holes that have on it ? If it´s the case, it´s better to avoid that water never go inside the box, and with a lid on the side, it´s to much probabilities.

he said that he checked, and inside was fine. you misread the post.

he said that he checked, and inside was fine. you misread the post.

Sorry, I don´t misread, He said "Ive considered using tape to patch the lid on the side, but I dont think is was necessary after looking inside the SXT..." he not say that it check it in his self device, he say it coincidentally after I put a big pic of inside of a SXT.
Then I ask why he think it now...
And, in your way, generally I don´t go up to my towers, after any heavy rain, to disassemble the six lock of a SXT Cap with a screwdriver, in this "highly" comfortable place, to see if the water go inside, further on a GOOD WORKING DEVICE... maybe "Intrepid" yes, but I not think it in a first place...

Additionally, why he should think to use a TAPE IN A NEW CPE OUTDOOR DEVICE ?
I would be concerned if my clients think it about a new hardware that I selled.

And most important, I´m waiting a reply concern to my pic demostration of not waterproof condition, and why was necessary to add a new "VENTILATION HOLE" if the case has 7 in total , and 4 of it only 2cm away of it.

Diego.

I still don't understand what you mean. Most people are happy and have no problems. Do you have actual problems, or you just looking at your picture?

I still don't understand what you mean. Most people are happy and have no problems. Do you have actual problems, or you just looking at your picture?

I don´t know which parameter do you use to test the happyness on the people, and, in this forum never read too many consults about waterproof feature of a new product, it would see as concern not happyness.

But only looking at my picture, it does not let me quiet to install it at my clients, if I want to try my lucky go to the casino, not to install 100 cpe for month to try.
I don´t have a problem at the moment, but my questions about too many holes still waiting...

I don´t have a problem at the moment

OK, it's clear then

, but my questions about too many holes still waiting...

Yes, too much clear...

If the holes don't cause any issues, there is no problem. You just don't like how it looks visually.

We are selling very large numbers of SXT units to all over the world, for a very long time already. So far, we don't have any actual complaints, just a few "concerns" about visual appearance just like you have.

In real life - it just works.

If the holes don't cause any issues, there is no problem. You just don't like how it looks visually.

We are selling very large numbers of SXT units to all over the world, for a very long time already. So far, we don't have any actual complaints, just a few "concerns" about visual appearance just like you have.

In real life - it just works.

I would re-praise that: "In real life - it generally works..."

The word "complaints" has to be valued here.
Reading the forums there are undoubtedly several remarks concerning the SXT.
The need for horizontal fitting if only V-pol chain has to be used in migrating (legacy to mimo) networks, the water ingress possibility, the lack of any anti-interference shielding, the need to buy separate fitting if unit has to be fit under an angle, just to name some remarks. Maybe not complaints but it shows that the SXT definitely could have been designed better...
Stating MT hasn't got any actual complaints doesn't mean it is therefore a flawless design. Many complaints don't even make it to the Dealer, let alone MT. Many operators that use the unit in bulk just take a new one from the shelf if a single unit fails to request RMA at a later state to be done on a quit Sunday afternoon, which never comes off course.... The cost of returning a unit and the extra works related to it compared to the price makes it hardly worthwhile.
Many operators have their hands full building out their networks and can't be bothered to complain or request replacements for single failing units. Only if an issue reaches stages where the operators profit really starts to hurt because of failing equipments you'll see the complaints or RMA units flowing in....

It's a unit that comes for an economic price which in general has its purpose but an operator has to see if he can use the SXT in his environment or that he should spend a couple of more bucks to get him a higher quality casing with a rb7xx board in it. Best of both worlds!

If I would rate on a 1-10 scale the SXT for quality I would rated it a 7 where if it is for price-quality comparing it would end up with an 8,5 or maybe even 9.

Thank you for the opinion. I didn't mean to say it's "flawless". We will keep improving it just like all our products. We are listening to suggestions and we take them seriously.

But SXT works for most situations.

If the holes don't cause any issues, there is no problem. You just don't like how it looks visually.

We are selling very large numbers of SXT units to all over the world, for a very long time already. So far, we don't have any actual complaints, just a few "concerns" about visual appearance just like you have.

In real life - it just works.

Visual appearance ??? I like it, it´s BEAUTIFULL... but not waterproof...

It works, until water do his job...

Thank´s RUDY . Excellent RESUME.

Thank you for the opinion. I didn't mean to say it's "flawless". We will keep improving it just like all our products. We are listening to suggestions and we take them seriously.

I am not disputing this. It only looks like MT's design department has no memory and is more driven by producing low priced units in bulk then quality stuff.

As I mentioned in some other topics the 'old' RIC's were much better shielded against interferences, had much higher gain that the SXT's and because of its design where better weather proved against water ingress (because of sheer size and by the design) and also had a simple earth connection where that in the latest MT models seems to have been considered as of no importance anymore...

Suggestions might well be taken seriously but if knowledge of the past is fading away faster than we users can give suggestions for improvements that are actually lost in new series we are not going foreward, we are walking backwards...

But I can see the reasons behind all this. Making money is more important than making quality. Cheap units sell better than quality stuff and in the end it is turnovers and profit depicting MT's business model, not quality... A pity for us enthousiast technicians... a blessing for those who only think in dollars...

Thank you for the opinion. I didn't mean to say it's "flawless". We will keep improving it just like all our products. We are listening to suggestions and we take them seriously.

But SXT works for most situations.

Thank You Mikrotik for listen our suggestions !!!!!!!

Seems that wasn´t only Visual appearance.....

New "SXT G" comes with "Improved Port Angle" .....

THANKS.

Its been a year since most of this topic has taken place and wonder if anyone has had any issues with rain entering the device or it is just the visual appearance that has created the concern about the SXT in harsh weather conditions.

I am looking at installing the SXT and am slightly concerned about the weather impacts on the device.

Thank you

Hello Folks!

Within short we will start installing the SXT models in our environment.
Relatively quickly we will see if devices survive (over the years many other brands has died).

Here we have rain both coming from above, both sides and from underneath to.. when winds are that way.

Also we have a lot of snow (usally 1-2 meter) and frost, all way down to -35C. And in summertime +40C or more in the sun.

I will be back with reports.

Surely your reports are appreciated, but I suggest you to look at the forum again few more times. This issue has been discussed in at least two threads and there are also some feedback that you seem to be looking. I'd gladly throw you some links, but currently I'm writing from my phone and since Tapatalk's search function hasn't ever worked, you'll have to find it yourself.

Surely your reports are appreciated, but I suggest you to look at the forum again few more times. This issue has been discussed in at least two threads and there are also some feedback that you seem to be looking. I'd gladly throw you some links, but currently I'm writing from my phone and since Tapatalk's search function hasn't ever worked, you'll have to find it yourself.

More then 300 up and running for more then year now. Only one died so far...

Thank you for the opinion. I didn't mean to say it's "flawless". We will keep improving it just like all our products. We are listening to suggestions and we take them seriously.

But SXT works for most situations.

Thank You Mikrotik for listen our suggestions !!!!!!!

Seems that wasn´t only Visual appearance.....

New "SXT G" comes with "Improved Port Angle" .....

THANKS.

I have had NO problems with water/weather so far, even though I have mounted several of these near water and sea. Also survived several severe storms last winther without any of SXTs dieing so far.

SXT is atm my default CPE for clients up to 5-6 km distance from AP.


SXT is a really nice CPE, only sad thing about it as I have experienced so far is the Angle of the Ether1-port.
I was VERY HAPPY to see that SXT-G comes with "Improved Port Angle", like above comment.


Now i just wonder?: Will this improved angle be implemented in "ordinary(FastEthernet)" SXTs too in the future, or do I need to convert completly to SXT-G?

SXT HP (high power) also has the new angle, and all upcoming revisions as well.

I'm not sure if you guys do this or not, but to help prevent corrosion in humid and salty environments have you considered applying a conformal coating to the PCBs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conformal_coating

When we install SXTs near the coast we have to spray them with a similar stuff otherwise they start to rust up.

3 units failed, within 2 month.
All of them near sea, there is a lot of duststorms, plus sometimes there is fog.
Fog and dirt on board wil create a shortcut. I am not sure covering by chemicals will help at all.

Hello Folks!

I have now used them for a while (since this thread started), so far without any problems, including also it's bigger cousine which nowadays will be our standard customer antenna.

We did try mounting antennas in such a way that they are protectd as much as possible from weather.

We have deployed about >500 SXT this year, due to heavily storms this summer we lost about 10 Units but the problem was in ether port (due to storm and heavy lightings) no problem related to water
Only groove have bad design,I have deployed 16 half of them I use horizontal I lost 2 related weather

But I m concerned about something else about plastic material that is used
I live in a place where temperature in winter are min -20 and in summer this year we have max +43C (I live in South-East Europe)
yesterday we have a storm I lost 1 SXT
Today I change it but when I dismount the old one witch serve me about 4 mounts the plastic holder for SXT just snap
the plastic was so breakable like we have some radioactive rain
also in my workshop try to remove hatch (or cover where u plug lan cable) two legs of hatch just snap

I hope this is just one case
If someone have same experience pls share

When we install SXTs near the coast we have to spray them with a similar stuff otherwise they start to rust up.

Did you find a suitable spray that doesn't affect the RF properties?
(I once had a bad experience with epoxy resin that totally disabled a radio controlled power socket )

Only Lanolin as I mentioned in the other thread.
I heard this also works http://www.crcindustries.com/ei/content ... =02005&S=Y
Might be worth a try.

Today I change it but when I dismount the old one witch serve me about 4 mounts the plastic holder for SXT just snap
the plastic was so breakable like we have some radioactive rain

Your yahoo.com email address doens't seem to work.

Could you please let us know the serial number of this device? We would
like to investigate which factory it came from, and if we could do any
improvements on this product in the future.

Photos of the issue would also be much appreciated
Thank you very much

Today I change it but when I dismount the old one witch serve me about 4 mounts the plastic holder for SXT just snap
the plastic was so breakable like we have some radioactive rain

Your yahoo.com email address doens't seem to work.

Could you please let us know the serial number of this device? We would
like to investigate which factory it came from, and if we could do any
improvements on this product in the future.

Photos of the issue would also be much appreciated
Thank you very much

Long time
Ill send it to support today

ddd wrote:
When we install SXTs near the coast we have to spray them with a similar stuff otherwise they start to rust up.

and from this ddd pls explain how do u mean they rust up? do u mean inside the box because i use so many years Mikrotik gear outside never seen rust (on electronics) (sorry maybe its my poor English)

We also had one SXT which was mounted near the sea, ended as the pile of rust. I guess the salty fog gets in the sxt, condesates on the PCB which corrodes.

and from this ddd pls explain how do u mean they rust up? do u mean inside the box because i use so many years Mikrotik gear outside never seen rust (on electronics) (sorry maybe its my poor English)

The PCB inside the plastic casing rusts. Its to do with how unit is designed as it it only seems to effect SXTs. We have other Mikrotik boards in difference enclosures that have been installed for years without any issues.

You will find this line in any warranty guide for any kind of product. Of course you can use SXT outdoors, it's the intended way to use it. The quoted line only applies for improper use, like if you try to put it under water, or if a hurricane tears it apart. Of course if the SXT is mounted according to the manual, and if rain still gets inside and manages to damage the board - RMA will cover the repairs!

Hi normis,

SXT was used correctly but has holes and when it raind the water can also come from bottom to the top if there are wind, i figured out that all the holes had watter after raind and heavy wind.




I can send the units fot RMA, but i need to spend at least 14€ for each unit and the warranty is only 2 years.

I think mikrotik can send the new SXT models with more protection against rain and wind or make an extra outdoor protection.

I cannot setup this units to my clients because they will get damaged with rain and wind.

Sending the units to RMA will not solve my problem because i will get the same units without any changes !!!

Need a bit of help here !


Thanks Mikrotik

Hi

last night a SXT stops working.
--> strong wind, high humidity, fine drizzle / snow, about -7 degrees
--> The wind hit the back of the SXT
--> SXT-Door ist closed like in the mounting video

this is the Result:
So you see the original draining holes (red circle) are terrible.

In future we will close this holes.

bye