Questions about so called "water proof" connectors came up etc. As a
result, I will include a few things which should be good practice because
I discovered, for example, that everyone does not tape their connectors
when they are out in the weather. Also, just because a dealer says a
connector is "water proof" that may not mean water will not find its way
in!
I never tape mine, and we never taped hundreds of thousands in the CATV/MATV
industry.
http://www.scte.org/documents/pdf/standards/ANSISCTE602004IPSTP013.pdf
http://www.tnb.com/pubint/docs/snapnseal.pdf
As a standard practice, and from field experience, we flooded the center of
the connector with clear silicon dielectric compound. A suitable material is
readily available at almost any auto parts store as "Dielectric Tune Up
Grease" in a silver squeeze tube.
The only places we externally sealed connectors were in underground
applications or in pedestal boxes that flooded. In those cases we either
used Teflon paste flooded rubber connector boots, or for permanent splices,
flooded heat shrink. Those connectors were all O-ringed.
Nearly all connector water issues are improper installation. I've seen
expensive "professionals" actually leave O-rings out of outdoor connectors!!
73 Tom
_________________
Topband Reflector
|