[TowerTalk] [Bulk] Re: PL259 Cobbectors Part 2 - Murray W9EHQ
Roger (K8RI) on TT
K8RI-on-TowerTalk at tm.net
Sun May 15 11:05:56 EDT 2016
I would add this experience with Krylon: C3i used to recommend 3 coats
of clear Krylon (let dry between coats) on the connections which I
did. Within a few years the connections (solder) was turning gray. In
5 or 6 years when I had to take all the antennas down for repair of the
7L 6-meter Yagi for a broken truss and the TH5 boom for damage from the
6-meter truss, I found the solder gone on the 144 and 440 antennas and
in poor shape on the 6-meter antenna..
I don't know if the other colors are susceptible to the weather, or if
they've changed formulas, but because of that experience I no longer use
Krylon for any weatherproofing.
73
Roger (K8RI)
On 5/15/2016 Sunday 12:23 AM, Grant Saviers wrote:
> 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 at 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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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
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--
73
Roger (K8RI)
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