[TowerTalk] Coax Seal yea or nay?

[Grant Saviers]

A "putty"  product I found and like is from construction:  Tacky Tape 
from Schnee-Morehead.  It is a butyl self amalgamating tape which 
conforms like Coax-Seal but  is easy to remove.  I found it on Amazon 
http://www.amazon.com/MOTORHOME-TRAILER-BUTYL-SEALANT-TACKY/dp/B007HRH35E/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1369073039&sr=8-14&keywords=tacky+tape

I also use Silicone dielectric grease from the local auto store on SO239 
threads only so water has less opportunity to wick in the thread clearance.

I had some water leakage with silicone tape on Belden 9913-F7, I think 
because the braid weave "prints" onto the outside of the sheath.  Since 
there is no adhesive with silicone tape I'm a little suspect of how 
water might capillary wick between it and what it is covering.  For 
outer coverings and a sharp item protection (e.g. cotter pins in 
sailboat standing rigging or wire rope crimps) the self amalgamating Si 
tape is terrific.

Two lessons from that - stick with Buryflex and use Tacky Tape.  I'm not 
sure of the UV longevity of T-T so cover it with Scotch 33 to be sure.

Grant KZ1W


On 5/19/2013 10:25 PM, Larry Loen wrote:
> No doubt.  But, stretching, IME so far anyway, is never as good as firm
> contact of a putty.  Maybe practice makes perfect here, but I've not had
> the same degree of confidence in the water-tightness, especially at the top
> of the connector.  Coax seal doesn't just "stop" like rescue tape does; it
> actually contacts everything at the joint.  And, you can make it very, very
> thin at the end of the joint, which seems to do very well for keeping water
> out.
>
> Still, I'm using it for a lot of stuff.  But, it does seem to have its
> limits.
>
>
> Larry Wo0Z
>
> On Sun, May 19, 2013 at 11:23 AM, K8RI <K8RI-on-TowerTalk at tm.net> wrote:
>
>> On 5/19/2013 2:03 PM, Larry Loen wrote:
>>
>>> Rescue Tape is recommended here in Arizona, but I have so far had trouble
>>> getting it to seal as well.
>>>
>> Rescue tap only seals to itself. It's the smooth tight fit (from
>> stretching) that protects the connector and cable underneath from moisture.
>>
>>
>> 73  Roger  (K8RI)
>>
>>
>>
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