weatherproof lead ins?

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Darkstar350

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I am going to install a outdoor antenna and I know to of course weatherproof the coax connectors and transformer as shown in the diagram that came with the antenna
I cant tell if its showing to also weatherproof the lead in terminals but do I weatherproof them as well? ill see if I can copy the diagram on to here...
I am going to use some overlaps of 3M rubber splicing tape and super 88
 

Darkstar350

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yeah I just cant tell from the diagram if its saying to tape them or not

I circled in red the areas in question...
 

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mmckenna

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I've never taped the 300 ohm leads. It certainly won't hurt to put some tape on there, but it's very unlikely you'll get a good enough seal to make a difference. Actually, just the opposite could be said, if you don't seal it perfectly, you are just creating a place for water to collect.
 

W3DMV

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Something else you can try if you want. There is a 3M product sold at electrical
distributors called "Scotchkote" It comes in a can with a applicator brush and works
very well.
It was made to water proof electrical wires that are submerged in water. I have done
probably over 100 wells using it and never had one fail. The technique used
is to apply good quality electrical tape to the splice and then coat the outside of
the tape.
I have used this on all my antennas for years and never found water in a connection.
The bad side is removing the coat if you want to take the connection apart. I usually
use a Dremel tool with a wire brush..
Good luck.....
 

Darkstar350

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yeah that's a good point about water collecting in the tape on the terminals...
so I will leave them alone maybe just some anti-seize on them so they don't corrode over time has anyone else done that?
thanks
 

mmckenna

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yeah that's a good point about water collecting in the tape on the terminals...
so I will leave them alone maybe just some anti-seize on them so they don't corrode over time has anyone else done that?
thanks

I haven't, but thats a good idea. I use never-seize quite a bit when rotating the tires on my truck, and I love that stuff.
A dab of silicone might work well in addition, but likely not needed.

ScotchKote is great stuff, unfortunately it's really hard to find out here in California.
 

jim202

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One of the tricks I have used over the years is to cover the crimp connection where the wire and insulation is with some RTV caulking. I use a version that is made for outdoors use and is somewhat UV stable. Then as has been said, put some form of an anti seize compound on the threads first. Put the spade lug on and then the washer and nut. This will allow the connection to be removed with east down the road if needed. Put a layer of the Scotch 88 down. Then the self fusing tape. Then another 2 layers of the 88 tape.

The reason for the first layer of 88 tape is so you can open up the connection several years down the road. If you use the fusion tape first, it will adhere to everything including the threads of the bolt. This will prevent any easy opening up of the connection down the road. That fusion tape will stick to what ever it touches with time. It acts like rubber cement that is all but impossible to get off of threads.

Learned this multi layering many years ago in my many years building cellular sites around the country. It amazes me just how many professional tower climbers take shortcuts when they weather seal the big 1 5/8 coax connectors on the towers. They don't like to put down that first layer of electrical tape. They say it takes too long. Yet they love it when they get called back to have to repair a connector down the road and get paid time and materials while they fight to get the connector opened up for service.

Even found one company that would seal up the connection up on the tower. Then take a razor knife and slice open the very top of the connector where it ran horizontal. This would allow the rain to collect and seep into the connection. So in about 3 or 4 months, you had to call in a tower crew to see what the problem was. Found out their game with several call backs on the same towers they worked on. So hired another crew to go do an inspection after the first crew left. That was how they got caught.

Anyway, make sure you take the time to seal up your connections.
 
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