How to weatherproof RG6 Quad connections

Go to a store that carries amateur radio supplies. You'll likely find rolls of stuff designed for that purpose. It wraps around the cable & connectors and forms a tight weather proof seal. I might have also seen it at Radio Shack.

Rubber seals such as these: are what you're looking for.

Silicon grease is also a good thing to do on an outdoor connection, especially if it is a CATV connection. Keeping the connection(s) horizontal is also rather important.

CIAO!

Ed

Frank B Denman wrote:

I don't know what are the current trade practices on typical TV antenna installations, but I have some knowledge on antenna installation that go outside. The typical techniques for protecting antenna connectors placed outside are wrapping them with a self vulcanizing insulation tape or cover them with a heat shrinking tube that has glue inside it. Those will make a waterproof protection for the connector when installed correctly.

AFAIK best practice is to put unavoidable connectors horizontal at a local high point with drip loops. The loops minimize the amount of water flowing by the connector, and horizontal improves draining (no standing water).

Grease by all means. RTV is an adhesive and if you use it, leave service loops because you will have to cut the joint-- if not to take it apart, then to reassemble.

-- Robert

Actually, they're very waterproof if you remember to orient the connectors horizontally so that they drain water, and to provide a drip loop that directs water away from the connector.

Everyone has their favorite method of waterproofing. I have a really bad attitude about sticky goo that does the job, but makes the connector difficult to repair and makes a big mess. There's a better way.

I use 1" wide teflon pipe wrap as the bottom layer. I spiral it around the connector with about 50% overlap. On top of that, I wrap it with 3M 66 electrical tape. The TFE provides the waterproofing and prevents capillary action from sucking water into the connector. The tape just holds it in place. If it's necessary to repair the connection, the TFE does not stick to the connector, which looks brand new when the tape is removed.

Incidentally, you can use cellophane wrap in place of the TFE in an emergency repair, but I wouldn't leave it like that. It tends to deteriorate.

3M makes this wonderful silicon rubber tape. I forget the trade name, but better electronics and radio stores ought to have it in stock. It is like thick electrical tape with waxed paper separating the layers. You wrap it around the connector ( removing the waxed paper ) and over the course of the next few days ( modulo ambient temperature) it turns itself into a single waterproof coating. They also sell it in marine stores for waterproofing boat trailer connections.

--Dale

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Found it! It's Scotch 2228 Rubber Tape with Mastic Adhesive.

Per 3M directions, I wrapped the connector with the above, stretching it to the max. Then wrapped the resulting lump with Scotch 88 tape, then painted the tape with Scotchkote Electrical Coating. (Part No

054007-43906).

thanks to everybody for all the suggestions.

Frank

Frank Denman Denman Systems (please remove the x from my email address)