[TowerTalk] Cautionary tale about cable waterproofing

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

It's hard to say whether the water has anything to do with my rotator's 
current failure to turn.  Internal insulation looked fine, but  I 
measured 60 ohms between the two motor leads at the bottom of the tower 
- if the rotator is up against the limit stop (as I think it is), then 
the limit switch should have opened and there should be no connection at 
all.  From memory, I think the motor winding should have been around 8 
ohms.  Looks like the antenna needs to come down to determine where the 
problem is...

73, Pete N4ZR

On 7/17/2024 10:23 PM, john at kk9a.com wrote:
> I use THHN for the motor wires and a multi-conductor for the sensor.  I try
> to seal the cable ends but I do not make a big effort to seal them.  I have
> never noticed water in any of my control cables but even if there was, I
> don't see how water inside the PVC cable jacket would effect it since the
> conductors are insulated.  If water got inside the connector at the rotator
> it would likely have an effect, this is common with Yaesu rotators, their
> boot does not make it water tight.  I have had very few actual rotator
> problems but I have had several issues in the last few years with failed
> lightning protectors.  Pulse type seem especially sensitive to leakage.
>
> GL
> John KK9A
>
>
> Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
> I've been having problems with my rotator, currently stuck due west.
> Today, in order to verify connection from the controller in the shack, I
> cut open the jacket of the good quality 6 x #18 cable at the tower base
> - imagine my surprise when water flowed out of the cut, even though all
> the cable above that point is vertical.
>