Underwater epoxy?

Jeff Reardon

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Anyone have a suggestion for underwater epoxy that is relatively inexpensive, sets quickly (though with decent working time) and will be durable through a Maine winter and summer?

The application is to attach housings for water temperature monitors to rock, concrete or wood. I'm getting sick of carrying anchors and heavy chain around to keep my monitors from moving or getting picked up by curious passers-by, and figure epoxy might be a simpler option.
 
No specific rec from me. I'd call hobo (or your sensor manufacturer) for a recommendation (but you probably wouldn't want to pay their prices for a commonly available product if they sell it). Searching amazon there are a number of "underwater" "stick" type moldable epoxies that look like the stuff to use.

Video on doing it, but not what product to use.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaYaycwfmXs
 
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Thanks, Todd. I found a USFS protocol that recommends "Splash Zone" epoxy from Fox Industries.

Anybody have any experience with that?
 
Not on that product, I know the "stick" type you cut a chunk off and mold it, doesn't work very well.

Other then epoxy, can you use zippy ties on certain objects?
 
Thanks, George, good feedback on the stick products, which I was looking into.

As for zipties, we do use them, but these loggers are deployed long term so they need to be attached to something that won't move in big floods, ice jams, etc. That means trees or roots on the bank, bedrock, huge boulders, bridge abutments, etc. (And even then we lose a few . . . .)


The best anchor points are way too big for wire or zip ties.
 
Thanks, Todd. I found a USFS protocol that recommends "Splash Zone" epoxy from Fox Industries.

Anybody have any experience with that?

Maybe some sort of organic adhesive - get a wad of rock snot or some zebra mussels to attach the sensor?!?!?
 
Thanks, Todd. I found a USFS protocol that recommends "Splash Zone" epoxy from Fox Industries.

Anybody have any experience with that?

Maybe some sort of organic adhesive - get a wad of rock snot or some zebra mussels to attach the sensor?!?!?

Man will never invent an underwater adhesive that matches the barnacle or limpet!
 
Jeff, I'm full of ....ideas, :) , but without actually seeing your situations it's hard to fully visualize.

Problem I see with epoxys, is the prep needed to get a good bond, especially if it's under water all the time. I imagine the epoxy would work if you can get a good bond. I'm sure you have tried ,or thought of other mechanical attachments so any ideas that come to mind is probably redundant, but you can get HD concrete anchors, screw eyes, mountaineering pitons,....or maybe a combination of epoxy/mortar and mechanical anchors.

Sounds like an intriguing problem, good luck.
 
Anyone have a suggestion for underwater epoxy that is relatively inexpensive, sets quickly (though with decent working time) and will be durable through a Maine winter and summer?

The application is to attach housings for water temperature monitors to rock, concrete or wood. I'm getting sick of carrying anchors and heavy chain around to keep my monitors from moving or getting picked up by curious passers-by, and figure epoxy might be a simpler option.




The sticking underwater part is not hard to do and curing underwater is not hard to do. The variety of the substrates you want to attach to is the issue as far as I can see. The other issue being the cleanliness of the surface you want to bond to. Have these rocks and whatnot been underwater for awhile collecting all sorts of algae/mold, etc....? Or are you bonding to clean surfaces and then putting underwater?

Believe it or not but 3M 5200 and 4200 will cure underwater and stick to a variety of substrate's. The surfaces do have to be clean and it will take a day or so to fully cure. I don't know if the initial tack is good enough to hold whatever you are bonding without being washed downstream.


Does it have to be epoxy chemistry? How about polyurethane, acrylic (and associated MMA)? Any particular reason for choosing epoxy?

Mark W
 
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Mark:

Thanks for your thoughts.

The only reason I say epoxy is that the protocol we have from US FWS Fisheries says to use epoxy, but doesn't tell us what kind of epoxy to use. They actually gave us a supply of what they use--unlabeled--and it looks old and separated to me. I don't want to trust a dozwn $100 sensors to epoxy that looks pooched.



Anything that will work is fine with me.

Our protocol calls for cleaning the surface we attached to with a wire brush for 2 min before applying, and to rough up attachment side of the PVC housing with sandpaper.

For those who may be wondering, we are using these to monitor water temps in streams where sea run brook trout populations are currently suspected but undocumented. Volunteer anglers have already confirmed presence of brook trout at or near the head of tide in multiple streams in early spring. We are now trying to determine which of those streams have summer water temps that would support spawning and juvenile brook trout, as we don't know how much the adult trout move from stream to stream while in tidal waters.
 
Cool research!

I will ask my contacts down at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab if they have any advice.
 

I am willing to bet they are using PC-7. We built tow continuous flow backpack shockers and one pulsed DC shocker that had the generator mounted in the aft portion of a Sport-Yak behind our collection tub and the board that held the three reel mounted PVC wands that were tipped with the anodes, every junction that was underwater or would be exposed to water was sealed in PC-7 wads. I know the backpack shocker construction plans were USFWS, not sure about the gas generator pulsed DC unit.


Obviously their protocol is focused on removal of all residue from the periphyton/aufwuchs community on your attachment surfaces.
 
Thanks. Can the PC 7 be applied and cure underwater? The web site doesn't say?

That would be good it if works--it's inexpensive and available everywhere.
 
The Sea Goin Epoxy looks to be a better choice. PC-7 will cure underwater, but it should be applied to a dry surface for adhesion maximization.
 
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