Here are the instructions from Andrew for Helix connector splices
http://www.commscope.com/catalog/doc/pdf/2004/Weatherproofing_Kit_for_Connectors_and_Antennas.pdf
Similar to the well wire splice insulating technique. The Andrew butyl
tape is a winner. The kits are about $15 and good for about a dozen 1/2
to 1/2" connections.
My tower installer used the Andrew kits and finished with a couple of
coats of Krylon exterior acrylic spray over the final vinyl tape wrap,
cheaper and easier than 3M Scotchcoat.
Grant KZ1W
On 5/14/2016 19:46 PM, Bob K6UJ wrote:
Patrick,
Thanks for the info. I have used the self sealing butt splices also.
There are many different ways to weather proof
and in this case completely water proof our connectors. We have
touched on a couple. Any other weather
proofing/sealing techniques out there ? What say you ?
Has anyone tried Plasti Dip ? I have been curious if it would be
another good outer coating on our outside
connectors.
73,
Bob
K6UJ
On 5/14/16 4:53 PM, Patrick Greenlee wrote:
There are waterproof butt splices. The insulation is shrink and
there is the heat flowing glue stuff like comes on te ID of some heat
shrink tubing. Even if I get rambunctious with the crimper and make
little holes in the insulation they are sealed by the hot melt glue
and don't cause problems. These are used in water wells on 240 volt
wires to power submerged well pumps at the bottom of wells. I suppose
if you are really paranoid you could add your own waterproofing on
top of that which is built-in.
These butt splices are widely available, even in stock at Harbor
Freight.
Patrick NJ5G
On 5/14/2016 6:32 PM, Bob K6UJ wrote:
Kevin,
Good points ! Your system looks great.
I was doing very similar for years.
I have added a final step for sealing the connection I would like to
share.
Here in Napa Valley there are many wineries and many water wells. I
was working on a project
for a winery which hired a well drilling and installation company to
put in a new water well for irrigating
one of their vineyards. I was very interested in how they sealed
the electrical connections that were
down in the well under water. They were making up a cable splice
that day and I learned their process.
Their first step with Scotch 88 is not much different than what many
of us do on our RF connection weather proofing.
First they stretch wrap with Scotch 88 electrical tape, then they
stretch wrap with Scotch 130 rubber self bonding splicing
tape, then one final stretch wrap with Scotch 88, then finally
they brush on two coats of ScotchKote 14853 electrical coating.
After drying it is ready to go under water.
Granted this may be an overkill for our weather proofing needs, but
I am anal about weather proofing outside RF connections and have
been using this process myself, with 100% success. The ScotchKote is
amazing stuff.
The downsides:
* It is hard to split and cut open the weather proof coating later
on. It can be done but not as easily as one coated with liquid
electrical tape.
* ScotchKote is not cheap. I only use it for this purpose so one
can lasts me quite a while, but it is about $30.00
for one 15 oz can.
Bob
K6UJ
On 5/14/16 12:40 PM, Kevin Stover wrote:
I'm trying to understand why a soldered connector, assuming both
types are weatherproofed properly, is superior for corrosion
protection. Seems to me Sn/Pb solder will corrode just as fast or
faster than anything else in salt air.
I'd say 90% of hams have no clue how to properly weatherproof a
connector. All you have to do is watch which end of the cable they
start wrapping stuff from to tell the connector is going to leak.
Such as starting the tape wrap at the connector and working down.
You've just created 6-8 seams for water to ingress. Start wrapping
the tape, 3M 33 or 88, not some cheap crap from Home Depot, down on
the coax and work up. Layers of tape laid like shingles.
I weather "proof" my crimp connectors with glue impregnated heat
shrink, followed by 33/88, followed by coax seal followed by rubber
tape and a final layer of 33/88. All layers rolled half tape width
per course and bottom to top. It ain't pretty but I've never seen a
connector I did have a water problem, even 259's.
On 5/13/2016 2:46 PM, Don W7WLL wrote:
I live on the coast, just a few hundred feet from the Pacific.
Most wind is from the ocean onshore. The cable and sat installers
here use crimped connectors, fast which counts for the installers.
HOWEVER, later, they also spend a lot of time repairing lines and
replacing connectors which corrode via the salt spray and air,
specifically the work that is outdoors for periods of time. Varies
of course depending upon the protection provided. Like Paul, every
connector used outdoors at this house is 4 hole soldered for just
the latter reason. And the coax cover is properly screwed into the
connector. Where I use barrels to interconnect two cables they are
covered with flooded heatshrink and the heatshink ends double
sealed with an application of 3M liquid tape. I learned when I
first moved here that while tape was great for keeping water out
most of the time, when I did find dry connectors, they still were
coated almost pure white with salt. So FAR DIFFERENT from when I
lived inland in Portland. There what corrodes and rusts here in a
couple of weeks would not reach that condx for years and years.
Crimping is great but one has to consider the environment when
choosing, at least that is the case here.
Don W7WLL
-----Original Message----- From: Paul Christensen
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2016 11:21 AM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] PL259 Cobbectors Part 2 - Murray W9EHQ
'I'm perplexed, but not really surprised, that hams still insist
on using
this kind of backwoods engineering when a better way has been
available for
decades. I guess old habits die hard."
If you mean crimped connectors as a "better way," I agree when
they're used
either indoors or when they're adequately weather shielded.
Mechanically,
I've had more crimped connectors break and fail than soldered type
when
high, accidental lateral force is exerted. For indoor use, I
exclusively
use crimped type. For outdoors, almost exclusively soldered type.
Paul, W9AC
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