Need a really water tight container.

djcache · Post by **djcache** » 05 July 06 1:02 am

I have a cache in a hole under a lid in a fixed structure that is constantly getting water in it. I've tried several containers but no joy.

I'm limited by the size of the hole and the council wouldn't take kindly to me modifying it.

A container would have to be either round or square and about 120-150mm dia or square by about 200-220 deep.

Part of the issue I think is that during the day the air in it expands pushing past the seal, and at night cools and draws moist air back in creating condensation - more than a couple of silica gel packs take care of as it is in a moist environment.

At other times it just plain leaks.

I'm getting desperate - a furry TB has just spent the evening in our tumble drier. Any suggestions welcome.

DJ

Papa Bear_Left · Post by **Papa Bear_Left** » 05 July 06 1:08 am

One option I've seen for a completely submerged cache container was a marine torch with the lantern battery and some of the reflector bits removed. You could probably find one the right size.

hoyks · Post by **hoyks** » 05 July 06 9:25 am

A pool chlorine tablet container?
They have chlorine or clarifier tablets in a half sized container that would suit your needs. They are about 100mm diameter and 250mm long with a nice waterproof seal.
Just need to find someone with a pool that needs some tablets

Wingaap · Post by **Wingaap** » 05 July 06 10:02 am

PVC Pipe cut to length with a rubber seal in the screw lid.

A thermos, I've seen a couple of these of late. These have been very reasonably priced at The Warehouse.

sc00t · Post by **sc00t** » 05 July 06 11:54 am

Wingaap wrote:PVC Pipe cut to length with a rubber seal in the screw lid.

<p>
My dad made me a few of these, they are excellent, watertight and weather resistant.

ian-and-penny · Post by **ian-and-penny** » 05 July 06 1:17 pm

I have a white translucent screwtop container - with o ring seal you are welcome to.

A friend of mine used to work for Melbourne Pathology, and gave me a few. I think they were specemin containers or something similar.

Dik: · Post by **Dik:** » 05 July 06 1:48 pm

I recently bought some Lexan water bottles with wide mouths and screw tops in the cycling dept of K-Mart. The mouth isn't huge but it should do.

If it keeps water in then it should keep it out.

Zytheran · Post by **Zytheran** » 05 July 06 3:10 pm

I haven't tried this but it should work...

Get some 100mm PVC water pipe with an plain endcap, a male threaded end and a threaded endcap.
Using primer and plenty of pipe adhesive glue on the solid endcap and the threaded end.
You will now have a cache container with a threaded end.
If you now screwed on the endcap you would have pretty good cache container, water resistant but not water proof.
To make it water proof find some rubber (or polyurethane) sheet about 5mm thick and cut out a 100mm (check this measurement inside the threaded endcap) diameter disk. Using contact adhesive glue this inside the encap so that when screwed on the end of the pipe is in contact with this rubber gasket all the way around. If it's polyurethane you will have trouble gluing unless using specialised primers and adhesives.
Another method would be to fill an endcap with liquid polyurethane and let it set, making the perfect in-place gasket but two-part polyurethane is harder to come by.
Concept can scale up and down, long and short.
Basic aim is to have a compressible gasket between end of 'container' and screw lid.
Decorate to suit... PVC takes paint well.

Wingaap · Post by **Wingaap** » 05 July 06 4:19 pm

Instead of all the cutting and gluing....why not just buy the rubber seal for the screw on end cap?

Biggles Bear · Post by **Biggles Bear** » 05 July 06 4:30 pm

Wingaap wrote:Instead of all the cutting and gluing....why not just buy the rubber seal for the screw on end cap?

<P>
It's more fulfilling to make your own

Bunya · Post by **Bunya** » 05 July 06 4:32 pm

Have you tried ordinary double clip containers with a sealed rim which you can usually get for $2-3 from Cheap as Chips or whatever your local equivalent is?

I have bought and successfully used ones as small as 100 x 150 x 50mm.

If you use a screw on lid donÃ‚â€™t you risk finders not putting it on properly?

I find that with double clip containers itÃ‚â€™s more obvious when youÃ‚â€™ve put the lid on properly.

The Coffee's · Post by **The Coffee's** » 05 July 06 7:04 pm

ian-and-penny wrote:I have a white translucent screwtop container - with o ring seal you are welcome to.

A friend of mine used to work for Melbourne Pathology, and gave me a few. I think they were specemin containers or something similar.

<p>
we want to keep the water out not in

. If moisture is a problem I use those gel sachets in the base of the cache, you can get heaps from shoe stores if they will kepp them for you.

If · Post by If » 06 July 06 7:37 pm

I've never found water in an ammo box cache yet. One particular cache was under 2 feet of water when I found it, but inside was dry as a bone.

I've seen little ones which might fit.
(Ammo boxes are not fire proof though)

djcache · Post by **djcache** » 06 July 06 9:48 pm

What's the smallest you've seen and where? I've only seen the standard size here for 7.62mm or what ever it is. And they are too big.

They are great though. All my high country caches are in ammo boxes.

Dave

Geof · Post by **Geof** » 07 July 06 12:13 am

PVC Pipe cut to length with a rubber seal in the screw lid.

These seal very good. Sewer pipe with end caps and "O" rings.

Also if they can stand up to this they shouldn't leak

Geocaching Australia

Need a really water tight container.

Need a really water tight container.

water off a caches back