Hacking the Outdoors - Raspberry Pi Hacks - page 179

Enter NeverWet. NeverWet is a spray-on paint-type product from Rustoleum that,
when applied to a surface, makes it extremely hydrophobic (as the name implies). The
NeverWet paint applies a coating that causes water to form nearly perfect spheres,
which roll off the surface, keeping items dry and clean. In the United States, you can
find it in home improvement stores for $20. It comes in a box with two spray cans. The
first is a primer, and the second applies the super-hydrophobic layer.
What Rustoleum Thinks About This Hack
We feel at this point we should tell you what Rustoleum thinks about using Never-
Wet on electronics. From their FAQ page :
Q: Can NeverWet be used on electronics? A: No, NeverWet should not be used on
electronics.
OK, you've read that, right? Rustoleum isn't interested in hearing about how this
hack didn't work for you or how you destroyed a $35 mini-computer. (For the re-
cord, we aren't interested in hearing about it either.) All righty then, let us continue.
Regardless of what the FAQ says, we know this works (at least for a while). We've
done it.
There is an aesthetic downside to this hack. The NeverWet paint is not transparent,
not even a little bit. When it dries, it looks like someone has applied a chalky white film
over the surface of the Raspberry Pi. (Because you actually did by spraying it repeat-
edly with NeverWet paint.) It looks weird, to say the least.
Here's what you'll need for this hack:
• A Raspberry Pi that you have no sentimental attachment to. You're never getting
that $35 back.
• An SD card that you never plan on using again. We recommend a full-sized SD
card, not a mini card in a converter, since that just adds another crevice for water
to try to get in.
• Cables that you never want to use again. We used a USB power cable and a USB
to TTL serial console cable, as the bare minimum to access the Pi, but you might
want to add an Ethernet and HDMI cable into the mix or a WiFi dongle.
• One package of NeverWet spray paint.
Go to a dry, cool, still, well-ventilated place with your supplies. (We went with “the
backyard on a nice fall day.”) You should already have your SD card configured with a
Linux image. If you're using a console over the UART serial device, have that properly
configured as described in Hack #16 .