How do I check if old coax is still usable?
"Tom Horne" wrote in message
...
Bill Horne wrote:
I have a run of RG-8 coax inside a conduit, and I'd like to keep it in
service if possible. How can I test it before I risk my finals trying to
put power into it?
It's OK AFAICT with a VOM.
73, Bill W1AC
Bill
Apply a megaohmmeter to test for any breakdown in the dialectic between
the center conductor and the shield and between the shield and ground.
A test voltage of 500 would be the highest I would go and I think three
hundred would tell you all there is to know about the integrity of the
insulation. You already know that the condition of the copper is
essentially unchanged.
--
Tom Horne
"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous
for general use." Thomas Alva Edison
Buried coax is prone to moisture unless the conduit was able to drain and
has air space. If you think it may have had moisture in it, replace it. I
like to replace at 10 years maximum because of contamination from the
chemicals in the dialectric.
|