RG6 Quad Shield Coax Gone after 5 years?

[Todd Humphrey]

I checked into that Times Fiber stuff, NICE. I might have to get some and try it out. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Claude Greiner]

If it did that, it would be "magic water" as it would need to traverse the drip loops leading into my DP34 switch, through the switch, migrate along 30' of RG6U, weep across the barrel connector in the wall plate, then finally wick uphill the last four feet of coax to the receiver.

I have seen water wick down cable over 100 feet!

Case and point...

Several years ago I had a customer who we went out to his home 4 times for a service call. Everytime I sent a tech out there, they would say the cable connection inside the house at the ground block is burned. The tech would replace the connector and ground block and go on their merry way.

I finally got pist off because the customer was calling us every week with the same dam problem, so I decided to go out there myself because I was at the point where I didn't believe the customer anymore.

So I get there and the guy has lots of trees, so what the installer did was go on the telephone pole and cut the guys cable TV wire and used the ariel drop to connect it to the Dish on the back side of the garage. When the tech did this, he ran the cable up the back of the garage and had the cable tensioned on the peak of the roof on the garage and the customers home.

From there, the cable rubbed on the shingles to expose the shielding and since the garage was higher than the house, the water wicked back into the house!

I replaced the cable, and tied it off of the side of the customers garage the proper way, charged back the origional installer and that was the last I heard of it.

Another example.....

Back in my old house, I had a Dual coax with messenger running over head in my back yard, down the side of my house and into my baseent. For months there would be a puddle of water on the floor where this cable entered my basement.

Now I had just recently cut a hole through the basement wall to run a gas line underground to a generator, so all along I was thinking it was coming from the hole for the gas line and going down the cynder block wall. I even went as far as to dig up around the house where the line entered my basement and reseal the hole!

Low and behold im in the basement and the water was wicking between the (2) Dual Cables, and it was coming in the basement because this was a temp Job and I never sealed the hole or put in a proper drip loop.

 

[cablewithaview]

I would not be surprised if at least 99% of all DBS installs, where the coax had to be buired, the coax was not flooded or in conduit. Most installers have no clue what flooded cable is or if they do, care enough to get it.

Me and a friend of mine that installs DirecTV has been in rounds about this. He insist that flooded is not needed or otherwise, this is the same guy that doesn't use dielectric grease as well. You cannot tell him nothing. That's fine, I usually end up with his customers leaving coming to me and then it's fixed right. He gets pissed about it then, I have a collection of multi switches going at the moment and I won't give 'em back to him. Of course he knows those go with the install and he just doesn't want to buy new ones trying to save money. I got to have some fun in my spare time.

 

[cablewithaview]

I checked into that Times Fiber stuff, NICE. I might have to get some and try it out. Thanks for the heads up.

TFC, that's some tough stuff. The RG11 drop, I end up heating the jacket just enough to slip on the connectors. TFC is also known as Tough F@%king Cable, which it is.

 

[Foxbat]

Well, I'm thinking that my best plan of attack will be to remount my dishes by moving them to the north end of my roof and going in to the attic after a short couple of feet instead of running the cable along top the roof like I was, That way, if this happens again, I have much less cable to replace.

Thanks again for all the experiences.

 

[Todd Humphrey]

He insist that flooded is not needed or otherwise, this is the same guy that doesn't use dielectric grease as well. You cannot tell him nothing.

Flooded cable is not required by NEC, but it is to meet SBCA standards, if that means anything to DTV or Dish. It is also required to meet the DBS National Installation Standards that I wrote. A lot of companies use the DNI standards because it covers all aspects of the installation. It needs a little updating to address the KaKu dish and satellite internet. Any comments would be welcomed

http://www.dbsinstall.com/DNI/DNI_Standards_2.htm

As far as using dielectric grease, I have to caution that using dielectric grease on Satellite connections is slightly risky. If the grease coats the center conductor, you can experience severe signal attenuation. The grease is an insulator and can cause signal transfer problems at ground blocks and splices. I use the stuff, but only after starting the connector on the threads then applying a little to the threads. This helps to seal the threads from water migration without affecting the signal.
We used the stuff all through the fitting years ago, but digital signals do not take kindly to the grease, or the white paste compound (I call it the tooth paste stuff). Besides, we now have a great water tight connectors compared to even ten years ago.
A good connector with boots and grease on the threads only, make for a pretty decent exterior connection. The best choice is to use a self sealing water proof tape. Not coax seal, unless you also wrap it with electrical tape to protect the coax seal from drying out and cracking.

 

[cablewithaview]

The type of dielectric grease I use is for tuning up cars. I use it on the threads as well. Never noticed any difference to the signal using the stuff.

 

[Mike500]

The type of dielectric grease I use is for tuning up cars. I use it on the threads as well. Never noticed any difference to the signal using the stuff.

Yeah, that's pure 100% non hardening silicone. It is very stable and does not change color or separate.

Just a thin coat on the conducting surface is all that's needed. There's no need to fill the connector full.

 

[cablewithaview]

I love using that stuff, that's some of the best stuff to use. $6/7 tube can save you $100 or more a year in unnecessary truck rolls. I hate going to someone's house to find nothing was done and connectors filled with water.

 

[Todd Humphrey]

Yeah, that's pure 100% non hardening silicone. It is very stable and does not change color or separate.

Just a thin coat on the conducting surface is all that's needed. There's no need to fill the connector full.

Think about what you are saying. You are applying an insulating material on to a surface that is supposed to be conducting high RF signals. If your fitting is sealed properly, no corrosion can occur, so what benefit does using dielectric grease on the center conductor provide? None!

If you prevent water from getting into the connection, then have a corrosion resistant connection. The dielectric grease on the center conductor will only matter if water gets to it. By that point your connection has already failed.

I used dielectric grease for over a decade before I changed. I know how the stuff works. I also know how it can bite you in the butt. A dab on the threads are all you need. Anymore will only cause problems.

The cable companies stopped using the stuff years ago because they found the same problems.