AEGs in the rain

[Shaner]

Hey guys.

Had some new players ask me this, and couldn't really give a confident answer...

Can you use your AEG in the rain??

My answer was simply...it's electric so it probably won't like water....

That being said, that gearbox and motor are fairly protected. I wouldn't use mine in a downpour, but maybe I could get away with a game in drizzling rain conditions.

What is the consensus from you veteran players? Is it GBBR only in wet conditions?

Thanks for the info.

[Spike]

The first Nova Scotia Airsoft 150+ player game was literally during a hurricane. No fucks were given.

In all honesty, as long as your battery compartment is sealed (ie in a buffer tube) and you disassemble the gun completely to dry it afterwards, it's not that big of a deal.

[Shaner]

Awesome. Thanks.

Buffer tube...is that an accessory to pick up or do most guns have them? My battery is in a crane stock, but I bet there is a way to rain proof it.

Good to hear from a fellow East Coaster.

[ShelledPants]

Originally Posted by Shaner

Awesome. Thanks.

Buffer tube...is that an accessory to pick up or do most guns have them? My battery is in a crane stock, but I bet there is a way to rain proof it.

Good to hear from a fellow East Coaster.

To put it simply, the buffer tube is the part that the crane stock is attached to.

[Styrak]

To put it even simpler, yes your gun is fine with the battery in there. AEGs don't mind the rain, feel free to use them.

[p.phresh]

just remember to dry out your gun completely after it rains, or you will find some areas begin to rust.

[DarthLakey]

From what I understand, yeah an AEG is fine to use in the rain (avoid rusting though). Now a Systema on the other hand...

[danhay]

Complex electronics do not like moisture; both precipitation and humidity induced condensation are anathema. This is why Systemas are afraid of the rain. I had my Raptor X120 unit stop working at the end of a long MilSim scenario which took place in the very damp Canadian Shield near Petawawa. I considered myself lucky because several Systema users experienced similar total failures after about 4 hours of game play. My Raptor worked like a charm once I had cracked open the mechbox and given it a few days to air out.

The solution to this problem is conformal coating, an electrically neutral coating used to protect electronic components from moisture or physical damage. The most durable type of conformal coatings are epoxy based products but acrylic or polymer based spray-on coatings are probably just as good for components which will be buried inside a receiver or buffer tube (stock). I picked up a small epoxy conformal coating kit from digikey and applied it to my Raptor X120. It's worth noting that the Raptor X130 and it's successor, the Chimera, both have an acrylic conformal coating for protection.

Before I had a Raptor in my AEG I used it during a 24 hour MilSim which involved more than a little rain. The only problem I encountered was my replica EoTech fogging up between the panes of glass (the knock-offs are not sealed air-tight like the real steel units).

I also recall a video I saw on youtube in which a young gent completely submersed an AEG in a swimming pool and successfully test fired it upon surfacing and allowing excess water to drain out. DC powered systems tend to be much more tolerant of water ingress than do AC systems.

Cheers - Dan

[redzaku]

you are perfectly fine, i remember some guy took his rifle and submerged it in a pool and just fired it for a few second and pulled it out and gamed with it later? i can not remember

[Danke]

VFC SCAR water test - YouTube

[horto]

Most of my AEGs (including a 60 running big lipos) got completely drenched at Nightfall. They still work. Nothing caught on fire. We play in the rain.

Wipe your gear down good when you get home.

and... goretex is awesome.

[wildcard]

Originally Posted by DarthLakey

From what I understand, yeah an AEG is fine to use in the rain (avoid rusting though). Now a Systema on the other hand...

I've gamed my FCC PTW in the rain (actually a mid size downpour) with no ill effect, the story of Systema PTW not working in the rain is true only if you don't waterproof your boards otherwise you are good to go as long as you don't submerge the gun and that apply to pretty much most AEG. you might see those Youtube clips of guys submerging their AEG in under water, technically it's do able but not recommended.

[Kos-Mos]

Originally Posted by wildcard

I've gamed my FCC PTW in the rain (actually a mid size downpour) with no ill effect, the story of Systema PTW not working in the rain is true only if you don't waterproof your boards otherwise you are good to go as long as you don't submerge the gun and that apply to pretty much most AEG. you might see those Youtube clips of guys submerging their AEG in under water, technically it's do able but not recommended.

Electrically speaking, it has literally no effect.

Electricity always takes the path of less resistance. It won't jump through water for fun. Especially if there is a perfectly good copper wire path.

DC motors are typically run under water in RC car races to form the carbon brushed without heat or wear (lots more torque when done properly). NiMh and LiPo batteries don't mind being under water (check for some RC Scaling videos... some trucks are completely under water, using LiPos).

Electronics however are more sensitive (because the operation limits are really closer to operating voltages/current, so a small increase on the wrong path might/will fry it).

Mechanically, the only issue that could happen is your cylinder filling up and slowing down the piston enough to cause pre-catch (and destroy the piston and possibly gears). So if you submerge your AEG, point it down for a few seconds before shooting to clear the cylinder of water.

So go ahead and swim across the lake if it gives you a tactical advantage. Plus chances are no one will follow.

[pestobanana]

Any of the lubrication in your gun would be hydrophobic, so your gearbox will be fine. Paint on metal parts also prevents rust. The only thing that's ever happened to me in the rain was a partially stripped screw getting rusty.