Outdoor telecom shelter — technical cabinet exposed to weather

Applications

Anti-humidity and anti-condensation for IP65+ infrastructure and large volumes

Passive anti-humidity and anti-condensation protection for IP65+ enclosed large volumes. Solar inverters, EV chargers, outdoor telecom cabinets, payment kiosks, industrial cabinets, storage containers, and urban infrastructure. Zero energy, zero maintenance, unlimited lifetime.

✓ Field-validated: 85 days, 24,385 measurements, ÷2.6 on time spent in condensation zone. Read the field study →

AS-C Tape product page Request a quote

The problem with large enclosed volumes

Why large enclosed volumes suffer from condensation

Enclosed large volumes — industrial cabinets, storage containers, wall-mounted solar inverters, EV chargers, outdoor telecom cabinets, payment kiosks — are never perfectly hermetic to water vapor. Thermal breathing causes progressive humidity accumulation, until condensation forms on internal walls and components.

On an asset deployed for 15 to 25 years outdoors, this represents several thousand cumulative thermal cycles — far beyond the resilience of factory calcium chloride packs or pressure vents alone (which don't adsorb vapor).

Corrosion

Metal structures, contacts, terminals, HV power modules

Mold

Stored goods, internal walls, insulation

Failures

Electrical equipment, power electronics, payment electronics

TCO and hidden cost

Cumulative operational cost on an outdoor infrastructure fleet

Internal condensation doesn't fail an asset overnight. It generates a slow drift in failure rate — and this drift weighs on TCO over 15-25 years of deployment.

~ 40%

of environmental failures

On industrial sensors and equipment — linked to internal condensation and trapped humidity. Bosch / IFM / TE Connectivity diagnostics →

$550-2,200

per field intervention

Remote outdoor infrastructure — travel, replacement, downtime, SLA penalties. Multiplied for height-access, isolated sites, or sites requiring lift equipment. Sources PTC Field Service, SightCall.

$330-1,650/yr

electricity per cabinet

Peltier cooler or resistor + hygrostat. 50-300 W (~30% real duty cycle) at 0.20 USD/kWh. Sources Pfannenberg, Stego.

On a fleet of large-volume outdoor infrastructure deployed over 10 years:

With calcium chloride pouches (Rubson type): regular replacement (consumables forgotten in practice → 5-15% residual failure rate by climate) + brine to handle at end of life
With hygrostat + heating resistor (~30% duty cycle, 50-200 W assumption): ~$28-110/m³/year electricity — over 10 years, ~$280-1,100/m³ + preventive and curative maintenance + active system failure risk
With So Sponge AS-C: one-time investment for fleet lifetime, zero recurring cost, zero maintenance

For a personalized estimate on your fleet, contact us for an AS-C quote →

Current solutions

Why current solutions don't work on large volumes

Most outdoor infrastructure designers and operators today combine several complementary solutions. Here's what each does — and doesn't.

Calcium chloride salts in pouches or trays (Rubson, Wisedry, Damprid)

+ Low unit cost ($1-15 depending on format)
+ High absorption capacity, immediate install
− Rapid saturation: 2-4 months under outdoor thermal cycles
− On dispersed fleet: recurring replacement round trips, per-unit tracking, operator mental load
− Generates corrosive brine (hazardous waste requiring collection)
− Leak risk on stored goods or internal components

→ AS-C is the direct alternative to calcium chloride: zero replacement, zero brine, unlimited lifespan. Full analysis →

Pressure equalization vent (Gore PolyVent)

+ Equalizes internal/external pressure — limits mechanical stress on gaskets
+ Long lifetime (3-5 years)
− Doesn't stop condensation: water vapor passes through the membrane
− Significant initial cost ($15-50/unit) + assembly labor
− Doesn't address root cause internal humidity

→ AS-C and Gore Vent are complementary, not competing.

Peltier cooling or resistor heater + hygrostat

+ Maintains internal air in controlled T° + RH range
+ Suitable for extreme climates (mountain, polar, equatorial humid)
− Permanent consumption 50-300 W = $330-1,650/year electricity per cabinet
− Electromechanical component = additional point of failure
− Filter requires maintenance, generates own condensate to drain

→ AS-C reduces the load on existing climate control, or replaces it on new deployments in temperate climates.

→ None of these 4 solutions combines passivity (zero energy), longevity (unlimited lifetime) and direct wall integration. This is exactly what AS-C tape does.

See full comparison of 4 large-volume solutions →

The solution

AS-C Tape: passive and durable anti-condensation for large volumes

AS-C tape is a 2 m × 8 cm pre-adhesive band based on patented SRD® mesoporous material. It bonds directly to internal walls and autonomously regulates humidity in large volumes.

8× usable capacity zone 60-90% RH (60-90% RH range)

Spontaneous regeneration — unlimited lifetime

Zero energy, zero maintenance

Compatible with your existing pressure vent

Field-tested 1 year (CAPSA)

See AS-C Tape product page

Field evidence

Sectoral B2B field tests

Validations and deployments across large enclosed volumes: charging stations, cabinets, containers, on-board enclosures.

Critical electronics, large volumes

✓ Validated by the engineering team

Large sealed volumes — performance validated and fire qualification at an independent lab.

Electric vehicle charging stations

✓ Validated by the engineering team

Time in the condensation zone divided by 2.6 — 85 winter days on stations in service.

Self-storage and containers

✓ Deployed

In operation at French operators — dozens of sites, regular repeat orders.

Shipping containers

✓ Validated by the engineering team

Two identical containers, one equipped: the equipped one stays below 80 % RH for months.

Use cases

They use (or evaluate) AS-C Tape

Direct alternative to calcium chloride bin on large volumes: zero replacement, zero brine to handle.

Solar inverter / Photovoltaic

String, central, microinverter — preserve yield over 25 years.

AC/DC combiner boxes of a photovoltaic installation

PV AC/DC combiner boxes

DC, AC and junction boxes — stop contact corrosion and heating risk.

EV charger

Residential & commercial AC — a French EV charging operator 85-day study.

Outdoor telecom cabinet

Fiber cabinets, outdoor ONUs, 5G BBUs, shelters.

Outdoor payment kiosk

Parking meters, tollbooths, ATMs, drive-through.

Industrial storage container

Long-term storage, maritime transport, archival.

Outdoor advertising & bus shelters

Bus shelters, DOOH panels, outdoor LED screens.

Automatic barriers & gates

Outdoor motorization, access control.

Your application?

Looking for a solution for small or mid-size enclosures? IoT outdoor sensors, CCTV cameras, medical instruments, robotics, embedded electronics. → See Applications Electronics & IoT

Going further

Storage and infrastructure guides

Solar inverter IP65 & condensation

Outdoor inverter failures and field solutions

Thales study: industrial equipment condensation

Industrial equipment — experimental validation

Anti-condensation solutions for storage containers

For long-term storage

Calcium chloride in cabinets — the forgotten consumable

Why replace this traditional solution

Comparison of 5 anti-condensation IP65+ solutions

Market overview

Protect your infrastructure

Discover AS-C Tape or contact us for a personalized study.

AS-C Tape product page Request a quote

Frequently asked questions

How do you stop condensation in an outdoor electrical cabinet?

Condensation comes from water vapor entering through thermal breathing, then condensing on cold walls. The AS-C tape, applied inside, keeps humidity below the condensation threshold by adsorbing vapor, then regenerates spontaneously — no energy, no maintenance. For large ventilated volumes, a feasibility study determines sizing.

How do you prevent 'container rain' in a storage container?

Container rain forms when water vapor condenses on the ceiling at night and drips onto goods. The AS-C tape keeps internal humidity below 80%, eliminating the phenomenon. In a CAPSA field test on uninsulated 10-ft containers, humidity stayed below 80% for nearly a year.

Does the AS-C tape really work without energy?

Yes. The SRD material adsorbs water vapor by capillary condensation above ~60% RH, then releases it spontaneously when the air dries out, at ambient temperature. No power supply, no consumable, no maintenance.

What anti-condensation solution works for an EV charging station?

AC / wallbox chargers are typically sealed (conduction cooling): AS-C tape applies directly. In an 85-day winter test on 3 IP65 chargers, 2 AS-C strips divided time in the condensation zone by 2.6. Ventilated DC fast chargers require a case study.

How many AS-C strips are needed for a given volume?

The number of strips (2 m × 8 cm) is sized by enclosed volume and moisture load. As a guide, 2 strips suffice for a ~95 L IP65 enclosure. Precise sizing is provided per application on quote.

How does it differ from bulk calcium chloride tubs?

Bulk calcium chloride saturates, generates corrosive brine and must be replaced every 2-3 months — tens of kilos of waste per installation. The AS-C tape regenerates indefinitely, produces no waste and stays in place for the entire service life of the installation.

Ready to protect your enclosures?

See the shop & pricing →