# The Last Line of Defense

- Show: [The Amp Hour](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour)
- Published: 2021-07-06
- Length: 1h 00m
- Episode: 548
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-07-06-the-last-line-of-defense
- Listen: https://theamphour.com/548-the-last-line-of-defense/

## Summary

Chris Gammell and Dave Jones discuss designing weatherproof enclosures for electronics, covering cable glands, O-rings, conformal coatings, and potting compounds. They also touch on the challenges of setting up a new electronics lab, the inefficiencies of residential solar power in winter, and the annoyance of patent trolls targeting hardware companies like SparkFun.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-07-06-the-last-line-of-defense#t=0) Introduction and Weather Discussion
- [2:48](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-07-06-the-last-line-of-defense#t=168) Residential Solar Power Limitations
- [8:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-07-06-the-last-line-of-defense#t=489) Embedded Power Consumption and IoT
- [13:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-07-06-the-last-line-of-defense#t=825) Setting Up a New Electronics Lab
- [24:45](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-07-06-the-last-line-of-defense#t=1485) Waterproofing Enclosures and Seals
- [29:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-07-06-the-last-line-of-defense#t=1759) Potting, Conformal Coating, and Production Costs
- [41:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-07-06-the-last-line-of-defense#t=2473) Custom Connectors and Vintage Cameras
- [46:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-07-06-the-last-line-of-defense#t=2765) Patent Trolls and Legal Challenges

## Topics

- [Mechanical engineering](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/mechanical-engineering)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Energy & climate tech](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/energy-and-climate-tech)
- [Batteries & low-power design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/batteries-and-low-power)
- [Intellectual property](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/intellectual-property)
- [Factory operations & automation](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/factory-operations)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Raspberry Pi (product)
- Fusion 360 (tool)
- KiCad (tool)
- SparkFun (company)
- Kodak DX 3600 (product)
- Northern Tool and Equipment Company (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Ep 226: Ice, Snow, and Cooling Paint in July](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2023-07-07-ep-226-ice-snow-and-cooling-paint-in-july) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep 364: Clocks, Cameras, and Free Will](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-04-03-ep-364-clocks-cameras-and-free-will) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep 364: Clocks, Cameras, and Free Will](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-04-03-ep-364-clocks-cameras-and-free-will-21852f2f) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep039: Elliot <3 Lightning Detector, Ikea Dark Mode, Smartest Watch, Solar Sailing, VAWT Controversy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2019-10-10-ep039-elliot-3-lightning-detector-ikea-dark-mode-smartest-watch-solar-sailing-va) (Hackaday Podcast)
- [Ep 364: Clocks, Cameras, and Free Will](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/hackaday-podcast/2026-04-03-ep-364-clocks-cameras-and-free-will-46615bb6) (Hackaday Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-amp-hour/2021-07-06-the-last-line-of-defense. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Amp Hour.