[TowerTalk] sealing connectors

[K7LXC at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/11/04 5:37:43 AM Pacific Daylight Time, ky1k at pivot.net 
writes:

> I went into my local Home Depot store and expected to find liquid 
>  plastic/plastic in a can, but they didn't carry it.
>  
>  I'm trying to seal some connectors that are going to be put up outside and 
>  don't want to use silicone sealer.
>  
>  This stuff comes in small cans and you dip your tool handles in it to coat 
>  them with plastic or paint it on the connector to be sealed and let it set 
> up.
>  
>  Anyway, I'm not quite sure of the name of the product/manufacturer and not 
>  sure where else to look for it, which probably means I'll have to mail 
>  order it?!
>  
>  Any suggestions?

    Sure - skip the plastic coating. It's been my experience that even the 
ones that say they're UV resistant AREN'T - they dry out and flake off in spite 
of the manufacturing claims.

    Why don't you use the old tried-and-true method used on thousands 
(probably millions) of outdoor commercial joints like those at commercial and 
cellular sites? A couple of layers of Scotch 33 or 88, a layer of butyl rubber vapor 
wrap, and then a couple more layers of tape. The result is a pretty bombproof 
joint. If you want, you can put your plastic stuff on the top (where you can 
watch it eventually blow away) or many installers use clear acrylic spray paint 
for the top coating. In any case it's the old belt-and-suspenders approach.

Cheers,
Steve     K7LXC
TOWER TECH -
Professional tower services for commercial and amateur 
888-833-3104