How to repair antenna wire

[Starr]

My cat chewed up the wire that comes out of my channel master rotator control box, model no. 9510A. It goes to my Winegard antenna, model no. HD8200U which is situated on top of a high pole. It's not the old fashion flat wire and its not coaxial cable. Its small round wire. Can this be repaired? If so, how ? There is no antenna repair guys in my area, and I can't climb that high if I need to put new wire on. Thank you !

 

[Pepper]

Assuming enough slack in the wire, you can strip it, twist together securely, and wrap with electrical tape (or other tape in a pinch). For safety, make sure to remove power first. More professional would be solder and heat-shrink tube if you have the tools and supplies available [likely if you did, you would not have asked the question].

 

[FTA4PA]

My cat chewed up the wire that comes out of my channel master rotator control box, model no. 9510A. It goes to my Winegard antenna, model no. HD8200U which is situated on top of a high pole. It's not the old fashion flat wire and its not coaxial cable. Its small round wire. Can this be repaired? If so, how ? There is no antenna repair guys in my area, and I can't climb that high if I need to put new wire on. Thank you !

The small round wire is likely the rotor cable which controls your rotor. If it is damaged to the point it can't be repaired then you can splice a new piece in. Just search for 'antenna rotor cable' or 'antenna rotor wire' and you will find several options.

 

[Starr]

The small round wire is likely the rotor cable which controls your rotor. If it is damaged to the point it can't be repaired then you can splice a new piece in. Just search for 'antenna rotor cable' or 'antenna rotor wire' and you will find several options.

This is the rotor wire I have

Pct (Channel Master) 3064TA "22-ga" Round Rotor Wire 75'​

I'm not sure what you mean by repair. Some of the uhf channels come in but none of the vhf channels will. AI I chatted with had me purchase connections for coaxial wire even tho I linked AI to the actual rotor wire. Then hardware store sold me wrong connections too . Can I just cut it off? I'm sure I have the extra antenna wire in my storeroom if I need it. I don't need any type of adapter? I don't know how to splice either. Thanks ...

 

[Starr]

Assuming enough slack in the wire, you can strip it, twist together securely, and wrap with electrical tape (or other tape in a pinch). For safety, make sure to remove power first. More professional would be solder and heat-shrink tube if you have the tools and supplies available [likely if you did, you would not have asked the question].

This is the antenna wire I have.

Pct (Channel Master) 3064TA "22-ga" Round Rotor Wire 75' . Cat also chewed up power cord to a lift chair. Friend cut and spliced it, then taped it with black tape. I bought some med wire nuts but thinking I will need small ones for antenna wire. Is that what you are talking about? I will look into a heat shrink tube and solder. Can you give me any more info. Person who helped with the chair is willing to try to fix antenna wire but has never done it before and needs direction. Appreciate the help.. Thanks​

Added - I think I have a soldering iron in my store room. What size heat shrink tube should I buy? I don't want to buy all the wrong things again. Thanks

 

[arlo]

Multi conductor cable can be repaired. I'd prefer stagger splicing it. With solder and heat shrink. Staggering the wires instead of one lump would tape (or heat shrink sleeve) with less of a 'snake ate a rat' look.
Speaking of. After a panic call from a buddy who's stereo speaker quit. A 'calm down, let's ace this one' diagnostic showed. And you guessed it. The danged kat ate the wire. Fixed in five.
He had two solutions. The first one. Splatter some 'omfg' hot sauce on a rag and wipe all of the cables. Works to this day. No more chewed wires. The second one. Get a snake.

 

[FTA4PA]

This is the rotor wire I have

Pct (Channel Master) 3064TA "22-ga" Round Rotor Wire 75'​

I'm not sure what you mean by repair. Some of the uhf channels come in but none of the vhf channels will. AI I chatted with had me purchase connections for coaxial wire even tho I linked AI to the actual rotor wire. Then hardware store sold me wrong connections too . Can I just cut it off? I'm sure I have the extra antenna wire in my storeroom if I need it. I don't need any type of adapter? I don't know how to splice either. Thanks ...

If you have extra cable you can pull through then cut out the bad section, splice like wire colors to like colors. As mentioned by another member solder and heat shrink tubing are best but you can use electrical tape if done properly.

If you have no slack in the cable then you will need to buy some then do the repair mentioned above.

The main thing is to find a way to keep the cat away from it or you will be doing it all over again.

 

[Starr]

Multi conductor cable can be repaired. I'd prefer stagger splicing it. With solder and heat shrink. Staggering the wires instead of one lump would tape (or heat shrink sleeve) with less of a 'snake ate a rat' look.
Speaking of. After a panic call from a buddy who's stereo speaker quit. A 'calm down, let's ace this one' diagnostic showed. And you guessed it. The danged kat ate the wire. Fixed in five.
He had two solutions. The first one. Splatter some 'omfg' hot sauce on a rag and wipe all of the cables. Works to this day. No more chewed wires. The second one. Get a snake.

My kitty passed away. I was cleaning and when I moved the antenna, I lost reception and that was after I found out she chewed the wire to the lift chair. What size tubes? Please stick around cause I will have another question. Snake? My cats always liked snakes. They would catch the little ones and try to bring them in the house cause they wiggle.

 

[navychop]

I wish you lived near me. I’d come fix this faster than we can post about it.

 

[Starr]

If you have extra cable you can pull through then cut out the bad section, splice like wire colors to like colors. As mentioned by another member solder and heat shrink tubing are best but you can use electrical tape if done properly.

If you have no slack in the cable then you will need to buy some then do the repair mentioned above.

The main thing is to find a way to keep the cat away from it or you will be doing it all over again.

Relative did a proper job with the cord to the lift chair with black tape.. You are talking about reg cheap soldering iron, correct? What size shrink tubing? Cat recently passed. I had no idea she had chewed up the antenna wire until I moved the control box. She did not chew up her personal electric heater or her heating pad. I've had cats for decades and none have ever done anything like that. Thank you !!!!

 

[FTA4PA]

Relative did a proper job with the cord to the lift chair with black tape.. You are talking about reg cheap soldering iron, correct? What size shrink tubing? Cat recently passed. I had no idea she had chewed up the antenna wire until I moved the control box. She did not chew up her personal electric heater or her heating pad. I've had cats for decades and none have ever done anything like that. Thank you !!!!

Yep, a regular soldering iron will do the job. Hard to suggest size of tubing but very small. Perhaps get an pack with an assortment of sizes. Good luck!

 

[Jim5506]

Since it is inside, just twist and solder the wires back together and isolate them with electrical tape - DONE!

It doesn't have to be pretty, just so it works.

 

[Starr]

Since it is inside, just twist and solder the wires back together and isolate them with electrical tape - DONE!

It doesn't have to be pretty, just so it works.

 

[arlo]

Harbor Freight. Heat shrink tubing assortments. And large chunks that fit over the final repair.
Western Union Splice. Catch phrase. Look it up. Superior to just pairing wires and twisting. Best if you don't solder.
Better if you do.
Stagger splice. All of the wires won't be grouped in a single bundle. Kinda' self explanatory. How to solder is anther animal.
If you wish to tape. Scotch 33 tape. Don't stretch it when you wrap. Cut, don't tear it.
BTW. I love critters. Trained my Siamese to fetch, sic 'em, protect. Loved car rides. Jumped in the rear shelf of the Olds and rode to Florida and back. Waited at the corner for me to come home. Brought me mice at the welcome mat.
Go to the store with him and leave the windows down. Do NOT try to reach inside. Love critters!
But they all have their quirks. The hot sauce mod on cabling seems to work well for my buddy after the Klipsch incident. They make great pets. Sometimes not. Like when they eat your <expletive> blueberries!

 

[Starr]

Thats true - no one will ever see it. Years ago no one had those plastic wire nuts or heat shrink tubing. Everyone used black tape. Thank you !

 

[Starr]

Harbor Freight. Heat shrink tubing assortments. And large chunks that fit over the final repair.
Western Union Splice. Catch phrase. Look it up. Superior to just pairing wires and twisting. Best if you don't solder.
Better if you do.
Stagger splice. All of the wires won't be grouped in a single bundle. Kinda' self explanatory. How to solder is anther animal.
If you wish to tape. Scotch 33 tape. Don't stretch it when you wrap. Cut, don't tear it.
BTW. I love critters. Trained my Siamese to fetch, sic 'em, protect. Loved car rides. Jumped in the rear shelf of the Olds and rode to Florida and back. Waited at the corner for me to come home. Brought me mice at the welcome mat.
Go to the store with him and leave the windows down. Do NOT try to reach inside. Love critters!
But they all have their quirks. The hot sauce mod on cabling seems to work well for my buddy after the Klipsch incident. They make great pets. Sometimes not. Like when they eat your <expletive> blueberries!

View attachment 173989

I love blueberries too!!! Is your kitty named Bear : ) I will look that up and study the info. I bought Scotch Vinyl 700 black tape and another one from the hardware store. If I can find the one you suggested, will purchase that too. I had quite a few rolls of black tape on hand but they got too hot... Thanks for all the tips - I appreciate it. Cats are very smart and trainable. I never dreamed she would chew cords. None of the other ones ever did. She nearly chewed through a brand new extension cord that was never used. I guess there is no fix to that.

 

[navychop]

I’m sure the black tape you have is fine.

I have repaired many an extension cord.

I had just (barely) enough self control to avoid a murder charge. I had a brand new outdoor extension cord I was about to use, when my handyman FiL whipped out some dykes and cut off the ground pin. OLD OLD SCHOOL.


Siamese: Their screech can kill! And they plan for the right time to catch you unawares- and KILL you. Better buy the BEST kibble. Let’s see you sleep after this!

 

[arlo]

My gramps and dad to a tee. Yank that sucker. But then again where I live there are still two prong outlets and knob and tube wiring, glass fuses. When those center screws back out, it's mayhem.Funny. I grabbed an ancient belt sander and plugged it into the the newish 3 bay garage outlet and immediately got 'tingled' when I pulled the trigger. Yup, no ground pin. Too old for that. Worse yet the hot and neutral were swapped in the service panel. With an inspectors label on it. Go figure. A hot bowl of beef stew and a cold beer can still get you things.

 

[Starr]

I’m sure the black tape you have is fine.

I have repaired many an extension cord.

I had just (barely) enough self control to avoid a murder charge. I had a brand new outdoor extension cord I was about to use, when my handyman FiL whipped out some dykes and cut off the ground pin. OLD OLD SCHOOL.


Siamese: Their screech can kill! And they plan for the right time to catch you unawares- and KILL you. Better buy the BEST kibble. Let’s see you sleep after this!

So you are saying I can repair the extension cord too? I recall guys taking extension cords to the hardware store years ago and having ends put on. I had a brand new cord, really expensive that I left outside for a couple days. Squirrel nibbled on it in a dozen plus places. He didn't break through to the wires. Black tape to the rescue.

My two white cats with blue eyes were part Siamese. Very very intelligent cats and very loving .

 

[navychop]

Maybe to YOU! They tend to be a single person “attachment.” STILL- not to be trusted!

For the size of extension cord wiring, there are options beyond soldering. But- might not be so good for outside.

Youse pays youse money, and youse takes youse chances.