Steve wrote:
> The most important thing to remember when using any material like this is
>that you need to apply electrical tape over the connector FIRST, and then
>apply the vapor wrap. Putting CoaxSeal directly on the connector renders the
>connector unusable if you ever try to reuse it -- it just gunks everything
>up. Put 2 layers of tape over the vapor wrap and that'll give you a
>professional, bombproof joint.
Living in a country where any mistakes in waterproofing will soon be
tested, I'd agree with Steve: Coax-Seal is not very good for molding all
over a connector as shown in their ads.
But it is very useful as a gap-filler for shapes that a conventional
tape wrap will not reach. One example is where a plug is screwed onto a
conventional bulkhead-mounting socket, which leaves a gap between the
socket mounting plate and the end of the plug barrel. Even when you wrap
over the plug with tape, that gap is still there. The solution is to
mold a 1/8" O-ring of Coax-Seal around the base of the socket barrel,
and screw the plug down into it. When smoothed down, this makes a good
surface for tape wrapping.
Another example is in my EME system where the connector on the power
divider passes through the wall of the preamplifier box and screws
straight onto the coax relay (no lossy adaptors allowed!). I've tried
RTV but it takes time to set and it doesn't bond well to the plastic
box. The only successful way I've found to waterproof this hole is to
mold Coax-Seal into it.
Coax-Seal is handy stuff to have around for small odd jobs, as a
complement to high-quality tape wrapping. Used that way, one roll will
last a long, long time.
73 from Ian G3SEK Editor, 'The VHF/UHF DX Book'
'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
Professionally:
IFW Technical Services Clear technical English - world-wide.
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