The messy stuff in the can is called "Scotchcoat". It works well but can cause a bunch of trouble doing a disassembly if its used directly on the connectors. I've seen a few lazy people that did that and it works OK until you have to take things apart! 73, Sandy W5TVW ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steven Pituch" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Elecraft Discussion List'" <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 9:16 AM Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Weatherproofing Connectors.
| Hi all, | Living in NJ for a while and having to have my connections withstand the | cold and ice, and now living in south Texas with the heat and humidity I | read years ago how to professionally waterproof electrical connectors. I can | not remember the source, but it might have been some 3M documentation. | | 1) make sure the connectors are tight. | | 2) wrap the connector completely with the vulcanizing rubber stretch tape | available at home depot. This stuff has a red plastic backing that needs to | be removed. You start the vulcanizing process by stetching it, If you don't | stretch it first it won't work. When you stretch it it gets thin, dull and | greyish. This stuff is very reasonably priced. If it is cold out, warm up | the tape inside the house first, put it on your car dashboard defroster, and | store it in your armpit to keep it warm. | | 3) Overwrap the connection with vinyl electrical tape. Stretch the tape so | that it is tight against the rubber tape. You want no gaps. Not stretching | it at the end is good to do to minimize the tape creeping in the heat, but | the next step takes care of this problem. | | 4)Now I can't remember what this next stuff is called but it is made by 3M | and is in a red can and is next to the electrical tape at Home Depot. Buy a | can of this stuff. It has the consistency of contact cement or dark brown | snot. This is really messy stuff. The lid has a paint brush on it. | Throuroughly paint the electrical tape with this snot. Put two coats on. | What this does is it totally seals all the edges of the vinyl tape. There | is no way the vinyl tape wll delaminate once you do this. The second time | you use the container of snot, you will need a pipe wrench to remove the | lid. | | These connections will probably last forever. I have never had a seal go | bad. | | I use 10 gauge stranded house electrical wire for all my wire antennas. The | insulation on the wire works pretty well after I solder all the connections | including the ends of the dipole. I coat all the exposed copper with this | snot, and it totally proects the copper from corrosion. | | Geoff, you are right. Kurt N. Sterba, the antenna Guru, has constantly | faulted the ARRL for not properly showing how to waterproof the end of the | coax at its connection to the dipole. | | Regards, | Steve, W2mY/5 | | -- | No virus found in this outgoing message. | Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. | Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.8.8 - Release Date: 2/14/2005 | | | _______________________________________________ | Elecraft mailing list | Post to: [email protected] | You must be a subscriber to post to the list. | Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): | http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft | | Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm | Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com | | _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [email protected] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
