[TowerTalk] Sealing Coax Connector

[Kelly Taylor]

I once read by someone else (can't claim this as my own) a method for
Coax-seal that captures all the benefits of Coax-seal with none of the
drawbacks: a layer of electrical tape, a layer of Coax-seal and a layer of
electrical tape.

The first layer of electrical tape means the whole mess comes off as cleanly
as if it were just electrical tape.

Truth be told, however, lately, I've been using electrical tape sprayed with
a urethane (varathane, etc.) sealant covered again with electrical tape.
Just had to replace a connection done in that way and the connections
underneath looked brand new.

I've even successfully used that method to protect pigtail connections,
which as most of you know are very problematic because of the wicking action
of coax braid. 

73, kelly
ve4xt


On 10/23/10 9:05 PM, "Roger (K8RI)" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk at tm.net> wrote:

> 
> 
> On 10/23/2010 1:23 PM, K7LXC at aol.com wrote:
>> 
>> In a message dated 10/14/2010 10:30:47 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
>> towertalk-request at contesting.com writes:
>> 
>>>   People seem to have so many different methods...I use  coax-seal...a
>> goop
>> specially made for the purpose. Messy but  effective  I have been
>> recommended
>> to use 3M 103C by a coax-seal  hater..hi hi
>> 
>>      I also hate CoaxSeal. Once you put it on a  connector - you can never
>> get it off; you have to throw the connector away.
> I've never understood this.  I don't use coax seal, but I do use what
> the local vendor calls flooded heat shrink tubing.  (MMM variety)  The
> inside of the stuff is coated with hot melt glue. Generally most of it
> comes off leaving the connector shiny, but some times it doesn't.  It
> may not look pretty but it doesn't prevent me from reusing the
> connector. OTOH I rarely reuse a PL-259 and with clamp type N connectors
> I pour in about 2 CC of vinyl ester resin which makes them permanent.
> Crimp type connectors do not come with extra bands so they are hard to
> reuse as well.
> 
> OTOH even with the expensive machined connectors for hard line, I've
> never had the goo on the outside prevent them from being reused. Of
> course if it's a new commercial installation I can understand not
> wanting to reuse a scuzzy looking connector even if it is shiny on the
> inside. What I really liked were the Hard line connectors where the
> center connector screws into the center conductor and the outside clamps
> on the shield. Just cut and assemble, but don't lose the gaskets.
>>    The commercial versions
>> (e.g. db Products, Andrew, etc.) are much  better.
>> 
>>      CoaxSeal is a butyl rubber-type vapor wrap and  will do a decent job if
>> it goes over an initial layer or two of good  electrical tape.
> Again, I want the stuff to seal onto the connector and the coax jacket.
> It's faster, efficient, and I do agree with the overwrap and direction.
> OTOH as I said, I normally use the commercial flooded heat shrink often
> with no overwrap, but heatshrink isn't the handiest stuff when working
> up on a tower. <:-))
> 
> 73
> 
> Roger (K8RI)
>> Cover the
>> vapor wrap with another couple of layers of  electrical tape and you've got a
>> pretty bombproof connection. (Be sure  the last outer wrap of tape goes UP
>> if the coax is vertical - that'll  keep water from running right into the
>> joint.)
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> Steve    K7LXC
>> TOWER TECH
>> 
>> PS - There's a good chapter on weatherproofing in my UP THE TOWER book
>> (www.championradio.com).
>> 
>> 
>> 
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