RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Base station coax connector weatherproofing recommendations?
I think you (Skipp) may be confusing 130C with one of the other 3M products. 130C is the self-vulcanizing (self-amalgamating?) tape. It has no adhesive; it's not sticky or gooey; itt doesn't leave any residue. In fact, it doesn't even leave a black stain on connectors like regular vinyl electrical tape; it leaves nothing behind. 3M et al make mastic pads/tapes which, for lack of a better descrption, are like vinyl electrical tape with taffy already attached to one side, with a liner that you remove before applying (i.e. to keep the taffy from sticking to the next layer of tape in the roll. Maybe that's what you're thinking of, Skipp? Even without a courtesy wrap, 130C comes off nice a clean when you slit it with a knife, no muss, no fuss. I've been a big fan/proponent of splicing tape for many years, having been introduced to it by a power plant engineer who showed me how they used it for underground direct-bury high voltage splices. Alternate the 130C with 88, each with an up-down-up wrap, and I've never had a leak. Tape n' taffy is quite effective, and arguably, requires less skill to apply (i.e. I don't force tower crews to use 130C/88 if they're comfortable/trained to do it with taffy), but it's messy if you have to open up the connection, but that can be partially alleviated by using a courtesy wrap. But when I'm doing it myself, I use splicing tape and 88. For the splicing tape I use either 3M 130C or the Plymouth equivalent (can't think of the number off the top of my head). I have a few rolls of the self-fusing silicone tapes that Times, Nashua, Andrew, et al are pushing. It's OK, but I don't see it as being any better than 130C+88. It's a lot more expensive too. Too early to tell how well it holds up to UV, but I would imagine it would do OK. Being silicone, other adhesives (such as vinyl electric tape) don't stick to it well. --- Jeff WN3A -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of ve7fet Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 12:22 AM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Base station coax connector weatherproofing recommendations? Pulling it back apart isn't an issue with the 130C if you apply it sticky side out. Once you slit down through the vinyl and 130c with a knife, you can peel it apart to open up the splice. Yeah, its a little work to get it to release from the jacket of the cable... but its doing its job keeping the water out. It usually releases from the metal connector parts fairly readily. Lee --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com , skipp025 skipp...@... wrote: I lay down a base wrap of decent quality tape before applying the Scotch 130c because I do work for (other) people who very often change their mind. Pulling 130c direct from a connector is a real $#$%* Having a base layer of tape below the 130c can and will make your change order life much happier. s.
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Base station coax connector weatherproofing recommendations?
On 7/28/2010 1:11 PM, skipp025 wrote: I lay down a base wrap of decent quality tape before applying the Scotch 130c because I do work for (other) people who very often change their mind. Ah, the famous courtesy wrap as it's known out here in the East! 73, Joe, K1ike
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Base station coax connector weatherproofing recommendations?
I use Scotch # 88 and then Scotchcote and I have never had a problem. On 7/28/2010 1:17 PM, Joe wrote: On 7/28/2010 1:11 PM, skipp025 wrote: I lay down a base wrap of decent quality tape before applying the Scotch 130c because I do work for (other) people who very often change their mind. Ah, the famous courtesy wrap as it's known out here in the East! 73, Joe, K1ike
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Base station coax connector weatherproofing recommendations?
On 7/28/2010 11:21 PM, ve7fet wrote: Pulling it back apart isn't an issue with the 130C if you apply it sticky side out. Once you slit down through the vinyl and 130c with a knife, you can peel it apart to open up the splice. Yeah, its a little work to get it to release from the jacket of the cable... but its doing its job keeping the water out. It usually releases from the metal connector parts fairly readily. Lee --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com, skipp025 skipp...@... wrote: I lay down a base wrap of decent quality tape before applying the Scotch 130c because I do work for (other) people who very often change their mind. Pulling 130c direct from a connector is a real $#$%* Having a base layer of tape below the 130c can and will make your change order life much happier. Which is why I use Scotch 70 Self-Fusing Silicone Rubber Electrical Tape (or it's equivalent.) Pricier, but more rugged and UV resistant. Self vulcanizing and peels clean when slit. No glue, but turns into a solid mass a few days after activated by stretching. -- mailto:o...@ozindfw.net Oz POB 93167 Southlake, TX 76092 (Near DFW Airport)
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Base station coax connector weatherproofing recommendations?
Nitto make a good self sealing rubber tape which is perfect and lives for years which is cheap and quick wind towrds the connector and it will seal without paints in a few minutes only thi g is it is a little tough once weathered to remove and break the seal To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com From: tonyn2...@gmail.com Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 03:08:17 + Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Base station coax connector weatherproofing recommendations? I was taught by an old ham who did a lot of commercial installations the following. His advice was to use good quality tape 3M 33 or 88 tape. Start at the connector wrap downward past the connector. Spray with clear spray paint. Wrap 2 starts at the bottom the the 1st wrap go upward to the connector. Apply another coat of clear spray to seal the tape. Layer 3 starts at the connector again and goes downward past the end of previous wraps. Spray again. This gives a good water tight job. When you are inspecting the antenna you simply note the direction of the tape if it should come lose. You'll know how immediately it may or may not need attention. I did this after pealing off the sticky mess of coax seal on a rooftop installation. The previous installer was even so thoughtful as to plug the hole in the base of the Stationmaster. Actually the only thing holding the connector to the hardline was the seal as I suspected by the noise when the wind picked up. Several years of PA failures, some years it was twice a year, were history. Tony --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com, jland138 jland...@... wrote: Any recommendations or best practices on weatherproofing the coax connection to a base station antenna? The Comtelco XL (or horrors! Antenex FG) series both have a drain system at the base that need to remain open. Is it as simple as some coax seal and avoid plugging the drain holes? Any recommendations on using heat shrink at the cable end of the coax connector? Does it help, or does it eventually wind up as a moisture reservoir?
Re: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Base station coax connector weatherproofing recommendations?
--- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com, jland138 jland...@... wrote: Any recommendations or best practices on weatherproofing the coax connection to a base station antenna? I use a layer of self vulcanizing silicone tape stretched and overlapped to spec. This is then covered with with two layers of Scotch 88 stretched to spec and overlapped half it's wide. Absolutely clean, uncreased and unwrinkled wraps are essential. A lot of people use a coating of Scotchkote, but I've not seen the value. The beauty of this is that every joint I've done this way has been clean and dry when I've cut it open 10 days or 10 years later it peels clean and is clean and dry. I've had installs in Texas, on the coast, on Colorado mountain tops, and on platforms at sea. It just works. The weak point is that the 88 drys out after a while, but is still good for 10 years of hard UV exposure if properly applied (50% overlap, appropriate stretch, and a no-stretch 2 turn finish on clean tape. The Comtelco XL (or horrors! Antenex FG) series both have a drain system at the base that need to remain open. Is it as simple as some coax seal and avoid plugging the drain holes? Coax seal is messy and make maintenance a rectal trauma (at best) or impossible. Any recommendations on using heat shrink at the cable end of the coax connector? Does it help, or does it eventually wind up as a moisture reservoir? The adhesive bearing shrink is the only real option here. POS (plain old shrink) will eventually wick moisture. You need to make sure that whatever you use remains flexible after shrinking, if not it will leak. -- mailto:o...@ozindfw.net Oz POB 93167 Southlake, TX 76092 (Near DFW Airport)
RE: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Base station coax connector weatherproofing recommendations?
Tony, Your mentor has the right idea, but a minor change might help. First of all, regardless of the tape used, it should *always* be wrapped from bottom to top, so that it sheds water. Doing it from top to bottom will bring water into the splice- not good! The preferred method of waterproofing connectors starts with Scotch 130C Linerless Rubber Splicing Tape. This is self-vulcanizing tape that is used for high-voltage (12,000 and up) splices, and is the primary waterproofing layer. Follow this with two layers of Scotch Super 88 Vinyl Tape- this stuff is much better than 33 tape, which itself is great stuff. Finally, coat the whole splice with Scotchkote Electrical Sealant. 73, Eric Lemmon WB6FLY -Original Message- From: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com [mailto:repeater-buil...@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Tony Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 8:08 PM To: Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Repeater-Builder] Re: Base station coax connector weatherproofing recommendations? I was taught by an old ham who did a lot of commercial installations the following. His advice was to use good quality tape 3M 33 or 88 tape. Start at the connector wrap downward past the connector. Spray with clear spray paint. Wrap 2 starts at the bottom the the 1st wrap go upward to the connector. Apply another coat of clear spray to seal the tape. Layer 3 starts at the connector again and goes downward past the end of previous wraps. Spray again. This gives a good water tight job. When you are inspecting the antenna you simply note the direction of the tape if it should come lose. You'll know how immediately it may or may not need attention. I did this after pealing off the sticky mess of coax seal on a rooftop installation. The previous installer was even so thoughtful as to plug the hole in the base of the Stationmaster. Actually the only thing holding the connector to the hardline was the seal as I suspected by the noise when the wind picked up. Several years of PA failures, some years it was twice a year, were history. Tony --- In Repeater-Builder@yahoogroups.com mailto:Repeater-Builder%40yahoogroups.com , jland138 jland...@... wrote: Any recommendations or best practices on weatherproofing the coax connection to a base station antenna? The Comtelco XL (or horrors! Antenex FG) series both have a drain system at the base that need to remain open. Is it as simple as some coax seal and avoid plugging the drain holes? Any recommendations on using heat shrink at the cable end of the coax connector? Does it help, or does it eventually wind up as a moisture reservoir?
