[TowerTalk] Rotor cable / Steppir cable connectors

[W3YY]

Bill -

I too have used connectors to provide quick disconnect points for my rotors
at the top of tower.  The thought was I could either carry a controller up
to the rotator and plug it in for trouble-shooting or remove the rotator
quickly for repair and reinstallation.  

Great plans, but it turned out to just cause problems.  After 11 years, I've
never had a need to ever disconnect the rotor, but the very well-sealed
Cinch-Jones connectors I used somehow still accumulated moisture and became
corroded, causing erratic rotator operation and bearing indications.  I
would have been better off just running the cable directly to the rotor.

If I now use a disconnect, I just use a terminal strip in a weather
resistant box.  I like the euro-type terminal strip, but any type will
probably do.  If there ever is any corrosion developing, the terminal strip
is easily replaced at the top of the tower without any soldering (like the
Cinch-Jones and other solder-type connectors).  It might take 1 second to
remove a connector and 10 minutes to replace a terminal strip, but if you
only do it every 5-10 years, who cares.  And connectors provide a failure
point that can corrode and be a pain to replace at the top of the tower.

73, Bob - W3YY 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Bill
Straw via TowerTalk
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2014 3:38 PM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Rotor cable / Steppir cable connectors

I'm spending way too much time trying to find what I need, time to ask...

I need to be able to break apart my rotor cable, so I need a weatherproof
M/F set for 8 conductor 18 AWG.

Also I need to break apart the Steppir control cable, 12 conductor + shield
22 AWG.

These disconnects are at the top of the tower so a weatherproof M/F set is
very important.

73, Bill KO7SS
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