GORE^® Protective Vents for Telecommunication Systems

Rapid, extreme or recurring changes in ambient conditions cause over-pressures or vacuums to form within sealed outdoor electronics enclosures. These pressure differentials can occur due to:

• Sudden temperature changes (a thunderstorm on a hot sunny day).
• Altitude changes (when equipment is in transit).
• Repetitive heating/cooling cycles of internal components.

If these over-pressures or vacuums cannot be dissipated, they will place continued stress on housing seals. Over time, these seals can fail and allow moisture, dust, dirt and other contaminants to be drawn inside the sealed enclosure box, damaging the electrical and electronic components.

Moisture can also get inside an outdoor electrical box by diffusion — the process by which vapor moves by natural molecular motion through the walls of a polymer enclosure. When water vapor enters a sealed enclosure and has no way to escape, it will condense to a liquid state. For example, condensation trapped inside an electrical control panel enclosure for heavy duty equipment could corrode sensitive electronics and battery contacts. Just one more reason why it’s essential to have properly-vented electronics enclosures for heavy-duty equipment.

During normal operation and recharging cycles, batteries can generate heat and emit hydrogen or other gases. This can create a hazardous, or even explosive, situation. GORE Protective Vents effectively dissipate hazardous gas molecules. By continuously equalizing pressures inside and outside the battery compartment, they reduce explosion hazards, while maintaining an effective barrier to liquids and particulates.