Water Resistance of Outdoor Monitors

[The History Kid]

As we just had a decent round of storms roll through here, it's got me wondering just how water resistant or proof the outdoor monitors are.

There are UOM-6.2's on the deck, but they're actually mounted to the deck - not under the overhang. So I'm just curious what the resistance is.

[klinemj]

Emotiva advised me against that and said they were not intended for direct rain exposure. I bought Def Techs instead, and they have been fine.

Mark

[The History Kid]

I'll have to take the enclosure apart and see if anything got too drenched. I figured as much, but I wasn't entirely sure. Which Def's did you buy?

[Deleted]

Water has a way of finding any possible opening into a speaker enclosure, in the form of liquid or humid air. It's not a good idea to mount any speaker underwater in your swimming pool or face-up underneath the spout of a fountain that runs continuously, even those that say they are "weather-resistant", because eventually it will fill with water and stop working. Our Outdoor Monitor products use a vented enclosure, which can allow water to enter if it is being poured in, but the amount of water entering a speaker not mounted under the eaves probably will not cause problems. Even speaker enclosures that are "sealed" or use a passive radiator design (like the Def Techs) should not be assumed impervious to water.

To maximize the performance and useful life of your outdoor speakers, no matter the manufacturer, observe the following precautions:

1) Mount the speaker under eaves whenever possible, to shield from direct sunlight and direct rain exposure.
2) Mount the speaker horizontally or tilted downward slightly to prevent water from entering through the port or around the drivers.
3) Don't mount the speaker where it will be subject to continuous large volumes of water exposure - wind-driven rain is fine, but mounting it under a continuously running fountain of water or a leaky downspout may lead to water entry and other problems.
4) Don't submerge the speakers, or mount them where they could fall directly into water. (This will cause problems for your amplifier also, and could create a safety hazard.)
5) When possible, take the speakers down during the off-season, to limit the amount of time that they are subject to the elements. If the speakers are often exposed to rainwater, and you live in a freezing climate, take the speakers down before temperatures drop below freezing, otherwise collected water may freeze and crack the enclosure.

Best regards,

Rory Buszka
Emotiva Engineering

[The History Kid]

Rory, thanks for the reply. I'm a bit more optimistic about these not being damaged now. They were mounted on the deck itself but they were aimed down before too much rain found its way to them. They are still largely protected by the eaves of the house, since they're against the house - so I can't imagine that MUCH rain had fallen onto them.

[klinemj]

May 1, 2017 13:02:38 GMT -5 The History Kid said:

I'll have to take the enclosure apart and see if anything got too drenched. I figured as much, but I wasn't entirely sure. Which Def's did you buy?

I have 3 pairs of the AW5500's...2 pair on decks in direct exposure and one pair in my master bath area. The ones on the decks have been outside for several years. I put them out in April/May and bring them in by October. In Cincy, that avoids freezing and snow, but they do get rained on.

Mark