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What do you seal your Antenna leads with outdoors
I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax
and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? -- Rick N7HJ Everett, Washington Remove THREAD to reply. |
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 14:43:22 GMT, R. Scott hath writ:
I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? And, it never occured to you that Google Has The Answer in this group? |
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 14:43:22 GMT, "R. Scott"
wrote: I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? GE silicon Kitchen & Bath sealant from the hardware store. Bob k5qwg |
Dev Null wrote:
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 14:43:22 GMT, R. Scott hath writ: .... So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? And, it never occured to you that Google Has The Answer in this group? Heaven forbid we actually start a discussion by asking each other questions. -W8LNA |
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:01:22 -0600, Bob Miller wrote:
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 14:43:22 GMT, "R. Scott" wrote: I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? GE silicon Kitchen & Bath sealant from the hardware store. Bob k5qwg Not considered a good choice,If it smells of vineger then I would stay away from it.There are better choices, consult a Ham Antenna book. Eskay,,VE3JUA. |
And, it never occured to you that Google Has The Answer in this group?
I can google all day, but what fun would that be. Its always nice to chat with hams once in a while. And there is a big difference in Looking up information and asking people what they use. That way you get first hand what has and hasnt worked. Also googling might bring up old information, where someone who has found something new but has not posted. Climb out from under your bridge. See the sunshine, smile, greet people you might find it does a world of good for your disposition. Which right now seems closer to billy goat gruff than homosapein. -- Rick Everett, Washington Remove THREAD to reply. |
GE silicon Kitchen & Bath sealant from the hardware store.
Bob k5qwg I had never thought of using that, seems like some good stuff. How about corrosive properties? Is there any? I know the old RTV we had in the Navy was quite popular too, but found to be corrosive later. Thanks -- Rick N7HJ Everett, Washington Remove THREAD to reply. |
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 14:43:22 GMT, "R. Scott"
wrote: I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? I use liquid electrical tape. I also use flooded heat shrink tubing for a really good seal where applicable. Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member) (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair) www.rogerhalstead.com |
Most all the RTVs have an acid in them, GE makes one that is safe for
electronics, no acid. Best stuff is that black tar like stuff that comes with a paper backing that comes with the bigger connectors called Vapor Wrap by Decibel Products. Put on over the entire connector and part of the coax, then tape it up and black tie wraps to keep the tape on. Good for 10+ years. It is what the Commercial guys use. "R. Scott" wrote in message ... GE silicon Kitchen & Bath sealant from the hardware store. Bob k5qwg I had never thought of using that, seems like some good stuff. How about corrosive properties? Is there any? I know the old RTV we had in the Navy was quite popular too, but found to be corrosive later. Thanks -- Rick N7HJ Everett, Washington Remove THREAD to reply. |
Best stuff is that black tar like stuff that comes with a paper backing that
comes with the bigger connectors called Vapor Wrap by Decibel Products. Put on over the entire connector and part of the coax, then tape it up and black tie wraps to keep the tape on. Good for 10+ years. It is what the Commercial guys use. Where might i find it, No local ham stores around here anymore? Is it available elsewhere. Thanks Rick N7HJ |
"Bill Turner" wrote in message ... On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 14:43:22 GMT, "R. Scott" wrote: So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? __________________________________________________ _______ I use a product called Coax-Seal, available from most ham dealers. It remains pliant and is easily removable even after years outside. save the big bucks and buy duct seal by the pound from a local electrical supplier. but which ever one you use cover it with a layer of electrical tape to keep it from the sun and pressed into the cracks well. some people put a layer of tape on first, then the seal, then another layer of tape to make it easier to remove. one fair warning... neither of them will stick if you get the common silicone dielectric grease on the outside of the connector... keep that stuff on the inside and off your hands or it just won't seal. and as others have probably pointed out stay away from the silicone rubber caulks and glass sealants, those usually give off an acid while curing (the vinegar smell) that can etch the connector, and they just don't stay very well sealed when coated on a connector. |
"R. Scott" wrote in message ...
I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? Go to Radio Shack, they have something called "Coax-Seal" or something similar, that is a roll of tar-like substance that never gets hard or dries out. It's always a bit sticky, and works great. Slick |
On 16-Mar-2004, Roger Halstead wrote: On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 14:43:22 GMT, "R. Scott" wrote: I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? I use liquid electrical tape. I'll second this. I have been using StarBrite Liquid Electrical Tape outdoors for nine years. It doesn't crack or deteriorate. Connectors have been bright and shiny after three years - (about the longest that a ham antenna stays of interest). I also use it on the tail light connections on my boat trailer. Readily available at hardware and home improvement stores. Ken Fowler, KO6NO |
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 11:44:38 -0500, Eskay
wrote: On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:01:22 -0600, Bob Miller wrote: On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 14:43:22 GMT, "R. Scott" wrote: I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? GE silicon Kitchen & Bath sealant from the hardware store. Bob k5qwg Not considered a good choice,If it smells of vineger then I would stay away from it.There are better choices, consult a Ham Antenna book. Eskay,,VE3JUA. It's been sealing the coax attached to my j-pole -- no degradation I can see in being used outside for 6 months. Of course, one can use that black, sticky coax wrap that's available from the ham stores and such, but the Kitchen & Bath silicon acrylic stuff that dries clear (Max 5000 by GE) does fine for down and dirty projects. Bob k5qwg |
There is a rubber based sealant labeled for marine use, UV resisitnt,
called GOOP Marine...GOOP is a group of rubber products in a tube labeled under various names for plumbing, household, automotive applications...end even rebuilding heels and toes of expensive jogging shoes ...hence the name SHOE GOO. It is NOT labeled for electronics applications but it works for my receive antenna-boxes & conectors outside. It and it's weaker cousin Dow-Corning 3140-RTV sealant, have served me well in Florida against weather...Both flow and are self leveling till they solidify overnight so you'll have to build a "mould-wall" of masking tape or something to control it's flow Yodar R. Scott wrote: I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? |
also called VAPOR-BLOC
Try searching on Google for them, should find it comes in squares about 4 by 5 inches or so. I don't think they have it at the ham stores. "R. Scott" wrote in message ... Best stuff is that black tar like stuff that comes with a paper backing that comes with the bigger connectors called Vapor Wrap by Decibel Products. Put on over the entire connector and part of the coax, then tape it up and black tie wraps to keep the tape on. Good for 10+ years. It is what the Commercial guys use. Where might i find it, No local ham stores around here anymore? Is it available elsewhere. Thanks Rick N7HJ |
COAX-SEAL
HRO $3 DD R. Scott wrote: I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? |
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 14:43:22 GMT, "R. Scott"
wrote: So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? 3M (and some others) makes a product called Liquid Tape that works pretty well. West Marine carries the 3M brand and Home Depot electrical department carries the less pretentious stuff. It's about $5.75 in a metal can with applicator. s.t.w. |
"R. Scott" wrote:
I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? Not sure what stretch seal is, but I use a couple layers of Scotch LR followed by more layers of Scotch 88. LR is a rubber strip kind of tape that sticks to itself, but not your hands, shirt, radio, etc. This is good enough for above ground locations that do not submerge. I've peeled the tape off after 4 years in the air and the connection is dry and shiny. If it's underground or more wet locations, Bishop Bi Seal is a professional 'gummy' seal. I did a bit of searching to see if a retail source was available and was surprised to find an online catalog version of a vendor I spend lots of company money at - http://www.tvcinc.com/catalog/PDFs/Drop/Tape.pdf I never use RTV on outdoor connections - moisture seeps in, adds to the acid and rots the connection. Silicone grease is better, but only if covered by tape or spark plug boots to keep it on the connection. I only use grease for temporary setups. -- "From spongecake to satellites, it's gotta be Krebstar" |
In article ,
Dave wrote: and as others have probably pointed out stay away from the silicone rubber caulks and glass sealants, those usually give off an acid while curing (the vinegar smell) that can etch the connector, and they just don't stay very well sealed when coated on a connector. Our local hardware store has (among others) a black GE silicone sealant which is specifically labelled as being suitable for use on metals, and to be noncorrosive. It contains no acetic acid. I've used it on F connectors on my TV and satellite-dish wiring - it stood up to sunlight for quite a few years, and when removed did not appear to have corroded the brass at all. -- Dave Platt AE6EO Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads! |
Firm believer in the Liquid Electricians Tape. Have covered connectors, wire
splices, connection points, all sorts of things with the stuff and have yet to have a problem. Sets up nice, never seems to get brittle. Peel it off years later and the connectors, wire, whatever are as shiny as the day it went together. Just my two cents worth. |
Shoe Goo ... That stuff used for tennis shoe repairs... It seals like
silicone, except it cures all the way through, to the middle, so it's easier to clean up if you have to take it off... 73, Mike KI6PR El Rancho R.F., CA "R. Scott" wrote I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? -- Rick N7HJ Everett, Washington Remove THREAD to reply. |
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 10:01:22 -0600, Bob Miller
wrote: GE silicon Kitchen & Bath sealant from the hardware store. You have to watch some of this stuff as certain brands contain acetic(?) acid which corrodes copper. I use a hot glue gun followed by copious layers of self amalgamatind tape, followed by a couple of layers of standard PVC insulating tape to prevent UV degradation of the self-amalalg. Peter, G3PHO |
R. Scott wrote:
So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? Duct Seal from the Electrical Dept at Home Depot. Art N2AH |
On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 02:07:14 -0800, Bill Turner
wrote: On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 20:44:47 -0000, "Dave" wrote: and as others have probably pointed out stay away from the silicone rubber caulks and glass sealants, those usually give off an acid while curing (the vinegar smell) that can etch the connector, and they just don't stay very well sealed when coated on a connector. They really aren't a problem when used out in the open and they stay very well sealed on connectors "if the connector was clean" when the Silastic RTV (TM) was applied. Now: OTOH *most* of the RTV family, regardless of who made it, depend on moisture to cure. They are water proof, not moisture proof. However the noncorrosive stuff has Alcohol in it. It doesn't smell like Alcohol. It just stinks. There is never any doubt as to which you have in hand. _________________________________________________ ________ If you want to use the silicone seal type stuff, get some at a pet shop that is rated for aquariums. The look and feel is identical to the I built two rather large aquariums...many years back and used plain old fashioned bath tub calk. Smells like vinegar, and is corrosive when used in confined spaces. Built the aquariums, let cure for two days, poured in water on the third, looked for leaks, changed water and put in fish on the 4 th day. Fish survived. vinegar-smelling stuff, but non corrosive. If it's safe for fish, it's safe, period. It's mostly all safe when not used in confined spaces. At work we used the stuff for years, but then we picked up some circuits that were to be used in a rather hostile environment. They came potted with a RTV silicone. In about 6 weeks the first failed. With only two exceptions they all failed within the next two weeks. When I took the first one apart I suggested we might want to get some replacements on order and to hurry! It had eaten the foil right off the PC board. When it comes to weather proofing I'll stick with "Liquid Electrical Tape" as my first choice, flooded heat shrink as a second (First for splices) and "Coax Seal" (TM) as a third. I also have a habit of coating all connections on antennas with about 5 coats of clear Krylon (TM) with enough time between coats for the stuff to dry. Then it gets a coat or two, or three of Liquid electrical tape. Usually I use the bright red on antenna connectors. Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member) (N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair) www.rogerhalstead.com |
"R. Scott" wrote in message
... I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? -- Rick N7HJ Everett, Washington Remove THREAD to reply. One word: BUTYL But instead of buying that "Coax-Seal" for 3 bucks for a small box, I got a large roll "1/2 in diameter, over 10 feet long for less than 8 bucks at an auto glass shop. Same stuff for a lot cheaper. I bought a roll of this stuff back in 1990 and i'm still into that same roll! Stuff lasts for decades. |
Plasti-Dip
On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 04:28:49 GMT, "Major Tom" wrote: "R. Scott" wrote in message ... I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? -- Rick N7HJ Everett, Washington Remove THREAD to reply. One word: BUTYL But instead of buying that "Coax-Seal" for 3 bucks for a small box, I got a large roll "1/2 in diameter, over 10 feet long for less than 8 bucks at an auto glass shop. Same stuff for a lot cheaper. I bought a roll of this stuff back in 1990 and i'm still into that same roll! Stuff lasts for decades. |
2 eggs over easy, sausage, and hash browns.
Eat all the food...use your finger and wipe the connector with the left over grease on the plate!! Fills you up..AND...seals your connector!! What more could you ask for? "Stevens" wrote in message ... Plasti-Dip On Sat, 20 Mar 2004 04:28:49 GMT, "Major Tom" wrote: "R. Scott" wrote in message ... I had been using the Stretch Seal stuff. But Im replacing all my coax and noticed that the Feed for my Beam the seal was all cracked and had come apart in places (especially the braid side. Ive a can of Liquid tape and had thought of that. So how do you guys seal your outside coax ? -- Rick N7HJ Everett, Washington Remove THREAD to reply. One word: BUTYL But instead of buying that "Coax-Seal" for 3 bucks for a small box, I got a large roll "1/2 in diameter, over 10 feet long for less than 8 bucks at an auto glass shop. Same stuff for a lot cheaper. I bought a roll of this stuff back in 1990 and i'm still into that same roll! Stuff lasts for decades. |
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