Requirements for reusing existing cable line

[ryotgz]

When I originally singed up for E* my installer reused the local cable co. lines in the house. He said they were good enough not to run RG6.

Now, I will hopefully get D* installed and I am having them run new lines since I will be reusing them for something else. With the exception of one line that is fished through a wall and was done by a different local cable co. I would like them to reuse this line and hopefully not have to replace it along with a fish charge. The wire appears to be an 18AWG and is older than the other lines in the house, but no idea on how old it actually is. If I had a second fish tape I would pre-run the fish tape like I have done in my living room to avoid the xtra charge.

What characteristics/specs do installers look for on lines that can be reused?

 

[Joe Diamond]

When I originally singed up for E* my installer reused the local cable co. lines in the house. He said they were good enough not to run RG6.

Now, I will hopefully get D* installed and I am having them run new lines since I will be reusing them for something else. With the exception of one line that is fished through a wall and was done by a different local cable co. I would like them to reuse this line and hopefully not have to replace it along with a fish charge. The wire appears to be an 18AWG and is older than the other lines in the house, but no idea on how old it actually is. If I had a second fish tape I would pre-run the fish tape like I have done in my living room to avoid the xtra charge.

What characteristics/specs do installers look for on lines that can be reused?

RG6 is the specification. RG 59 was used by cable companies in the sixties and seventies but was phased out so they use RG 6 also.

Damaged cable and defective fittings along with splitters in the run are the things techs should consider before using existing cable. Sometimes an interior run can be salvaged by using it to pull new RG6 through the wall.

RG59 will work for SD use but causes all kinds of problems with HD and especially Single Wire MultiSwitch applications.

And it happens that some installation companies will rip out perfectly good cable because they are told not to use the material from a certain supplier; rare & stupid.

When you get low signals and missing transponders to one receiver that is where they start looking for cable dings. You can test for shorts and open cuts with a standard amp meter.

Joe

 

[Jimbo]

When I originally singed up for E* my installer reused the local cable co. lines in the house. He said they were good enough not to run RG6.

Now, I will hopefully get D* installed and I am having them run new lines since I will be reusing them for something else. With the exception of one line that is fished through a wall and was done by a different local cable co. I would like them to reuse this line and hopefully not have to replace it along with a fish charge. The wire appears to be an 18AWG and is older than the other lines in the house, but no idea on how old it actually is. If I had a second fish tape I would pre-run the fish tape like I have done in my living room to avoid the xtra charge.

What characteristics/specs do installers look for on lines that can be reused?

Are the rest of your lines in the house RG6 ?

RG6 is the standard and what is recommended, but there have been times when the existing cable is RG59 and still used.
With all the newer ways to get your signal to the recvr, it's probably more and more likely they will require RG6.

That said, if the one run is something other than RG6 and it's not very long, it will more than likely work fine for you.

 

[ryotgz]

Are the rest of your lines in the house RG6 ?

RG6 is the standard and what is recommended, but there have been times when the existing cable is RG59 and still used.
With all the newer ways to get your signal to the recvr, it's probably more and more likely they will require RG6.

That said, if the one run is something other than RG6 and it's not very long, it will more than likely work fine for you.

Not sure if they are RG6 or not. They are not labeled either way. The run is probably 15 feet to where it would come from the SWM

What is the best way to tell if its RG59 or 6?

 

[Jimbo]

Not sure if they are RG6 or not. They are not labeled either way. The run is probably 15 feet to where it would come from the SWM

What is the best way to tell if its RG59 or 6?

It will say on it if you can get to it.

The SWM type of stuff , like Joe said want RG6.

You probably going to be OK seeing it is a short run.

 

[ryotgz]

It will say on it if you can get to it.

Unfortunately neither of the two different cables say what it is. They have a bunch of numbers and letters on them.

The one that I am using for E* right now (orig. installed by local cable co #1) has:
DW3912042 9900963 F660BVV (ETL)us CATV 18AWG

The one in I want to reuse that is in question (installed by local cable co #2) has:
V100048 1C18 E108998-T CATV OR cm OR c (UL) cm

I googled the first one by using F660BVV and appears it could be RG6.

The second one I found something on E108998 and not sure if its RG6 or not. It has the companies name on it and has since been bought by WOW!. So its going to be at least 5 years old at minimum, but no more than 10.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Unfortunately neither of the two different cables say what it is. They have a bunch of numbers and letters on them.

The one that I am using for E* right now (orig. installed by local cable co #1) has:
DW3912042 9900963 F660BVV (ETL)us CATV 18AWG

The one in I want to reuse that is in question (installed by local cable co #2) has:
V100048 1C18 E108998-T CATV OR cm OR c (UL) cm

I googled the first one by using F660BVV and appears it could be RG6.

The second one I found something on E108998 and not sure if its RG6 or not. It has the companies name on it and has since been bought by WOW!. So its going to be at least 5 years old at minimum, but no more than 10.

You will be fine. The problems noted with the RG59 is that it looses a little signal per 1000 ft as the outside temperature drops. IF you are a cable company and have to amp miles and miles of cable signal this is a problem. They solved it by upgrading to the slightly larger RG6. Directv adapted the larger cable when they started doing what they do.

Guess what....the coax jumper that is (was) provided in the box with Directv receivers was RG 59.

Joe