[TowerTalk] Feedthroughs for rotator cable?

[W7TMT - Patrick]

They are great! However, note that not all are created equal.

The low quality units have just the bare screw end pressing down on the wire ends. That variety can easily cut smaller gauge wire. The better, slightly more expensive variety have a flat plate inside that the screw presses down on and the bottom of the plate presses on the wire end.  Well worth the small extra cost.

Patrick, W7TMT

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk <towertalk-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of jimlux
Sent: Friday, November 13, 2020 14:30
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Feedthroughs for rotator cable?

On 11/13/20 1:11 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
> On 11/13/2020 12:24 PM, Ross Tucker wrote:
>> Next question: how do you feed rotator cables through a wall?
> 
> I mounted a weatherproof box on the outside of the wall behind the 
> operating desk, brought cable in from the bottom, barrier strips 
> inside the box for SteppIR and rotator control cables, hole drilled in 
> the wall just large enough for 1-in PVC conduit, then cables through 
> the conduit to the operating desk.
> 
> The barrier strips have proven quite useful when troubleshooting 
> issues with rodent damage to control cables.

These days, I'd use those nifty green connection blocks with the screw clamps. Stick the stripped wire in, tighten the screw, done. No need for ring or spade lugs, and you can easily probe from the top.

You can get ones which are actually a multiconductor plug into a housing, which also has either another identical plug on the other side, or screw terminals. That makes it easy to do a "mass disconnect".

They also make "bus connect" ones (although not as many configurations) if you have a dozen wires that all need to go to the same circuit.  I've not used them, I just do a daisy chain on the other side of the block.

I'm never using one of those black barrier strips again, where you lose the screws, or they're half phillips and half slotted, because you bought them at different times.

If you want to be fancy, get the ones that mount on a DIN rail.
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